Try-It-On: Preparing family nurse practitioners to use holistic integrative interventions to reduce opioid prescriptions in chronic pain management

Abstract

In the United States, more than 130 people die each day from an opioid overdose. Nonopioid chronic pain management options are necessary in primary care. This educational innovation describes a new curriculum to teach future family nurse practitioner (FNP) prescribers holistic integrative interventions to decrease overprescribing of opioids for chronic pain management. The Modeling and Role Modeling theory and Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model guided the development and implementation of the curriculum innovation using a Try-It-On teaching-learning strategy, which focuses on immersion experience. The focus was to teach students to communicate effectively with patients in an effort to increase patient awareness of the pathophysiology of pain, risks of opioid use, and holistic integrative pain management options. Students learned to manage chronic pain within a holistic focus through immersion within integrative modalities, such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and guided imagery. Pre and post participation evaluations documented students' increased comfort level managing patients with chronic pain. Students reported they were much more likely to prescribe holistic integrative modalities after completing the Try-It-On learning modules. Holistic integrative interventions are a viable treatment option and/or adjunct treatment for chronic pain management. In conclusion, using the Try-It-On, teaching-learning strategy provided FNP students with the tools needed to prescribe nonopioid holistic integrative interventions to manage chronic pain.