The Role of the Advanced Practice Provider in the Acute Care Setting

Millions of patients each year suffer from acute pain as a result of trauma, illness, or surgery. Pain is the most common reason for admission to the emergency department (ED), comprising more than 40% of the over 100 million ED visits annually. The prevalence of intense acute pain is similarly high among patients undergoing surgery: in the United States, over 73 million surgical procedures are performed annually, and most patients report experiencing a high degree of pain postoperatively. Studies indicate that treatment of acute pain remains suboptimal due to attitudes and educational barriers on the part of clinicians and patients, as well as the intrinsic limitations of available therapies. Inadequate management of acute pain negatively impacts numerous aspects of patient health and may increase the risk of developing chronic pain. This presentation will review the differences between acute and chronic or persistent pain, while providing attendees with a multimodal treatment approach for the acute care setting. Emphasis will be placed on the role of the advanced practice provider. (Recorded at PAINWeek 2016)