Prescription Opioid Misuse by Family Members: Implications for Nurse Practitioners

Abstract

Although the prevalence of prescription opioid misuse has declined in the United States, morbidity and mortality rates related to prescription opioid misuse are still high. Government reports and research literature have consistently shown that many misusers of prescription opioids obtain opioids from family members. Nurse practitioners (NPs) may be able to curb prescription opioid misuse by following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for prescribing opioids. Additionally, NPs need to increase patient education about consequences of sharing prescription opioids and appropriate opioid storage and disposal to limit family members’ access to prescription opioids.