Pharmacy intervention to facilitate transparent opioid-risk and safety communication

Abstract

Objective: This paper seeks to explore the impact of training, a handout, and patients' questions on pharmacists' comfort and satisfaction in discussing opioid risks with pediatric caregivers.

Methods: In a mixed methods intervention study in a children's hospital outpatient pharmacy, 2 practicing pharmacists and 1 student pharmacist counseled 100 caregivers using their standard practices (not telling a caregiver the pain medicine was an opioid or informing them about opioid risks). After the training, the same 2 pharmacists and another student pharmacist counseled 97 caregivers about opioid-risk by assessing their beliefs, explaining that the medication was an "opioid," and integrating a safety handout into the consult. The pharmacists completed short surveys after each consult in both phases and were interviewed. Qualitative data were coded using NVivo version 12 (QSR International). Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analyses were performed on the data collected from the surveys.

Results: During the preintervention phase, opioid risks were not discussed; no pharmacist described the pain medication as an opioid. The pharmacists reported that they needed training and resources to assist opioid counseling. In the postintervention phase, the pharmacists indicated that the medication was an opioid in all consults. The pharmacists' comfort increased significantly over time and decreased with caregivers' concerns at posttest (adjusted R² = 0.40). The pharmacists' satisfaction increased with time and caregiver questions (adjusted R² = 0.15). The pharmacists reported that the training and handout facilitated opioid-risk and safety discussions.

Conclusion: The intervention positively affected pharmacists' comfort and satisfaction. It should be evaluated in different settings and populations.