Drug Addiction, Dependency and Pain - Introduction course for Nurses

This session describes the key concepts of drug addiction and dependency that relate to patients who are in pain and who also have a history of substance misuse.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Identify the challenges in managing pain in current or former addicts
• Outline the clinical features and neurobiology of drug dependence
• Describe the management of pain in patients with a history of addiction

Managing pain in people with current or past dependence on opioids is more challenging, and has more important consequences, than managing pain in other populations.