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  • Bill Reintroduced to Require ID Checks at the Pharmacy and Utilization of Prescription Drug Monitoring ‎Program

    ​Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL) recently reintroduced the Opioid Prescription Verification Act, which would require pharmacists to check IDs when dispensing opioids and enter the information of the person picking up an opioid prescription into the state Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to allow law enforcement to track patterns of abuse. The legislation would also require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collaborate with other agencies to provide guidance to pharmacists on ID checks and safe dispensing. In a press release, Representative Davis said, "this legislation, inspired by a meeting I had with the Normal Police Department a few years ago, would empower law enforcement to monitor 'pharmacy shopping' and track bad actors who abuse opioid prescriptions. It's common sense that individuals should be required to show ID to pick up opioid prescriptions, which are highly addictive and a contributing factor to the opioid epidemic." This bill was previously introduced in the Senate during the 116th Congress

    Articles & Resources

    Rep. Rodney Davis – Davis Re-introduces Opioid Prescription Verification Act to Combat Opioid Epidemic


  • Legislation Introduced to Respond to the Increase in Synthetic Opioids

    ​Last week, Representatives Annie Kuster (D-NH-02) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL) introduced the Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of (STOP) Fentanyl Act of 2021, which aims to expand research and education efforts to detect and monitor fentanyl, enhance overdose prevention interventions, expand access to substance use disorder treatment programs, increase public health trainings for law enforcement, and increase synthetic drug surveillance. In a press release, Representative Kuster said, "I'm proud to introduce this legislation to bolster our national response to the opioid epidemic and connect individuals with treatment and recovery programs. We cannot turn our backs on those struggling with substance abuse, and I look forward to working across the aisle on the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force to address this crisis that impacts communities nationwide." Representative Blunt Rochester added, "synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, have had a devastating impact throughout Delaware and across the United States, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the stark rise in overdose fatalities from fentanyl, it is time for Congress to take long-term action to save lives."

     

    Articles & Resources

    Representative Ann McLane Kuster – Fitzgerald, Johnson Introduce SOFA Act to Combat Opioid Epidemic

    STOP Fentanyl Act of 2021


  • Call for Poster Presentations

    ​ASPMN® is currently accepting poster submissions through May 15. Submit your poster presentation here.

     Below are basic instructions that will help you with your submission.

    The proposal submission form asks for author contact information, title, brief description of the submission (100 words or less) and an abstract (300 words or less).

    The conference planning committee is currently accepting clinical, research, and industry posters. No other submission types are being accepted at this time.


  • Biden Administration Outlines Drug Policy Priorities that Focus on Racial Equity and Harm Reduction

    ​Last week, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released a statement by the Biden-Harris Administration outlining their drug policy priorities for year one, which will largely focus on racial equity in drug policy and advancing harm-reduction efforts. According to the statement, the Administration's seven drug policy priorities include expanding access to evidence-based treatment, advancing racial equity in drug policy, enhancing evidence-based harm reduction, supporting evidence-based prevention to reduce substance use in youths, reducing the illicit substances supply, expanding the addiction workforce and recovery-ready workplaces, and expanding access to recovery services. ONDCP also emphasized their commitment to coordination, highlighting that they will work closely with other White House offices, federal agencies, Congress, and State, local, and Tribal governments to meet their year one priorities.

    Articles & Resources

    The White House – The Biden-Harris Administration's Statement of Drug Policy Priorities for Year One


  • CDC Adds SUDs to List of Underlying Medical Conditions Associated with High Risk for Severe COVID-19‎

    ​The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently added substance use disorders (SUD), including alcohol, opioid and cocaine use disorders, to their list of underlying medical conditions that can make an adult more likely to get severely ill from the COVID-19 virus. The decision to add SUDs was based on a comprehensive evidence review process, which included analyzing publications, scientific articles, journal pre-prints, and internal CDC data on substance use disorders from December 1, 2019 to January 2021. During a White House press briefing on the COVID-19 response, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, "This update is keeping up with my commitment to lead with science, to have clear information on our website, and to better describe the science underlying these conditions."

    Articles & Resources

    CDC – People with Certain Medical Conditions

    CDC – Scientific Evidence for Conditions that Increase Risk of Severe Illness

    The White House - Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials


  • ASPMN Facebook Frame!

    ​Help us spread the word about getting vaccinated by using one of our new Facebook frames! Log in to your Facebook profile, select "change my profile picture" and then "Add a Frame." Search for our frame using "ASPMN®‎" and then select one of our three frame options to announce you have been vaccinated.  Be sure to use the hashtag #ASPMN‎Learns and tag ASPMN®‎ on Facebook.

     Please remain vigilant and maintain proper safety precautions after vaccination. Stay safe!


  • Measure Reintroduced to Require Prescribers to Complete SUD Treatment Training

    Last week, Representatives David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV-01) and Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) reintroduced the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act, which would require all DEA controlled substance prescribers, who are not already addiction specialists, to dedicate at least eight hours of training on treating patients with opioid or substance use disorder (SUD). The bill would also require certain professional schools to incorporate addiction medicine education to their curricula and would authorize the federal government to provide grants to schools to develop trainings and curricula for prescribers on how to identify and treat SUDs. In a press release, Representative McKinley said, "Ensuring that physicians and other prescribers have the tools and knowledge available to them to identify and create an effective treatment course for patients with substance use disorder is critical to getting the opioid crisis under control."

    Representative Trahan added, "Congress has an obligation to undertake a holistic approach to ending the addiction crisis that has taken far too many lives already. That can't happen without understanding addiction's root causes and the stigma associated with seeking out help. The MATE Act will ensure that medical professionals across the nation have standardized training that not only ensures a strong understanding of addiction, but also gives them the tools necessary to identify, treat, and manage patients with substance use disorders." This bill was previously introduced in the House during the 116th Congress.

    Articles & Resources

    Representative David B. McKinley, P.E. – McKinley Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Prescription Opioid Abuse

    Representative Lori Trahan – Trahan Leads Reintroduction of Bipartisan Legislation to Tackle Root Causes of Addiction Crisis

    H.R.4974 - MATE Act of 2019


  • Pain Management Nursing Journal – Featured Articles

    Pain Management Nursing publishes excellent articles that will help to improve your practice.

    "Chronic Pain and Mental Health Co-Morbidity in Adolescents: An Urgent Call for Assessment and Evidence-Based Intervention"

    Sharon K. Wrona, DNP, RN, PNP ; Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, PhD; Jacqueline Hoying, PhD, RN

    HTML




  • ASPMN® Advanced Practice (AP-PMN) Recognition Program

    ​Application Deadline May 31, 2021

    The Advanced Practice (AP) Portfolio Program is a mechanism for demonstrating advanced level knowledge and competency in the practice of pain management nursing evidenced by completion of:

    • Entry level ANCC Pain Management certification by examination.
    • Graduate level nursing education as a patient care provider (NP, CNS, CNR, or CNM).
    • Professional activities that contribute to the advancement of the art and science of Advanced Practice Pain Management Nursing.

    ASPMN® began the Advanced Practice Portfolio Recognition in 2014. Qualified nurses may be recognized as having achieved Advanced Practice Competency in Pain Management Nursing by fulfilling the activity requirements of the Advanced Practice (AP) portfolio. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (NP, CNS, CRN, and CNM) that carry a current pain management nursing certification can apply for AP recognition via portfolio. Successful applicants earn the credential AP-PMN and can use the distinction to highlight their competency of this focused practice designation.

    There are two application cycles per year:

    Cycle 1 - Applications received by May 31

    Cycle 2 - Applications received by December 31

    Successful applicants will be recognized at ASPMN®'s 2021 National Conference during the awards ceremony.

    For more information and to download the application, click here.


  • SAMHSA Releases New Treatment Improvement Protocols

    SAMHSA has published a series of Advisories based on existing Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs) and Technical Assistance Publications(TAPs). These Advisories summarize updated guidance and recommendations on topics in the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment field. The new Advisories include:

     


  • Call for Board of Directors Nominations

    ​We are seeking your nominations of candidates to stand for election for the 2021-23 ASPMN® Board of Directors. Member engagement is critical to the success of ASPMN®, and the Board relies upon your recommendations for strong candidates. Even if you are new to the association, please consider colleagues you know. We are always looking for the next generation to lead our organization.


    The positions that will be elected by the membership in 2021 are:

    • Secretary (1)
    • Directors (2)
    • Nominating Committee Members (2)

    Positions begin terms in October 2021. Review the position criteria carefully to acquaint yourself with each position. This information will assist you in recommending for nomination the best candidate for the office. It is our goal to offer more than one candidate for each office; however, this is dependent upon receiving a sufficient number of nominations for each office from the membership. You may recommend yourself or another ASPMN® member for nomination by completing the electronic submission form. All recommendations MUST BE RECEIVED BY April 30, 2021 to be considered for the slate of candidates.

    Please have the following information ready when submitting the nomination:

    • Board positions held
    • Committee(s), position(s) and year(s) served
    • Chapter(s), position(s) and year(s) served
    • Professional experience (Job title, Institution, City/State and date(s) of employment)
    • Years of experience in field as RN/APN in Pain Management
    • Education [Degree(s) earned and date(s)]
    • Certifications
    • Personal statement (200 word limit; what qualifies you to seek this position?)

    Recommendations should be electronically submitted to ASPMN® 's Executive Office here.


  • Our Commitment

    ASPMN recognizes the systemic racism that has affected not only our Black and Brown patients but also our healthcare professional colleagues. Our collective pain and suffering have reached new levels as our nation struggles with a crisis of conscience that has emerged on top of the COVID-19 health crisis.

     As nurses - and more specifically as people who care - we advocate for those who are suffering. For physical pain, that means providing safe and effective pain management. For the emotional and societal pain we now face, however, the solutions will be more difficult.

     We call on our peers to help us in a search for answers and invite you to join a forum to share what you are seeing, how you are feeling, and how we, as a profession, can take effective action.

     We are starting that conversation today by asking each of you to share what's going on for you. What level of pain and grief are you feeling? How are you coping? What small or large things are you doing to help manage the pain for ALL your patients? And most of all, how can we help? 

     Please reach out to us at https://www.facebook.com/ASPMNLearns/



  • COVID-19 Resources

    COVID-19

  • 30 for 30

    ​It's ASPMN®'s 30th Anniversary! Help us to celebrate by making a donation of $30 or more - the donation will assist ASPMN® in developing educational materials so they remain accessible and affordable.

    Donate today!


  • Disparity and Bias Task Force - Call for Volunteers

    ​ASPMN® has responded to the request from our members to examine ways in which we can begin to address issues of implicit bias and disparities impacting the care of our vulnerable patients with pain. No experience or advanced knowledge is needed to participate in this task force, only an interest and willingness to join your colleagues in this initiative under the leadership of Dr. April Vallerand. For more information or to volunteer for this opportunity to work with a great group of people on an important initiative, please email Maureen Cooney, ASPMN®‎® President, at mcooneyASPMN®‎@gmail.com.

  • Trump Administration Makes Sweeping Regulatory Changes to Help U.S. Healthcare System Address COVID-19 Patient Surge

    ​At President Trump’s direction, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today is issuing an unprecedented array of temporary regulatory waivers and new rules to equip the American healthcare system with maximum flexibility to respond to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. CMS sets and enforces essential quality and safety standards for...[Read More]

  • HHS Releases Final Report

    ​The Department of Health and Human Services today released their Final Report on Pain Management Best Practices: Updates, Gaps, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations. 

    As you know we provided comments and have participated in public meetings leading up to the release. 

    You can find the report here​.

  • ASPMN Town Hall Meeting

    We had a great Town Hall Meeting on August 22. Click here to download the handouts and here to listen to the webinar.​

  • Joint Commission Revision, Effective January 1, 2018

    ​The Joint Commission has approved the following revisions for prepublication for the standards related to pain assessment and management.

    ​Click here​ for full document.

  • ASPMN® Member Alert

    ​Opiate Painkiller Dependence Myth Debunked: Painkillers Prescribed After Major Injury Do Not Lead To Long-Term Use

    -- Science World Today

    See full story here: 

  • Bring an ASPMN® Course to You!

    ​For more on ASPMN®​ accredited courses, click here.

     

     

  • ASPMN® Advanced Practice Program

    We are excited to announce the launch of our "Advanced Practice in Pain Management Nursing (AP-PMN) Recognition" program!​

  • Nurses Treating Pain Podcast

    Click here to listen to the Nurses Treating Pain podcast

    Pamela Bennett
    Ann Schreier

    Nurses play an important role in pain management. Two nurses -- Ann Schreier of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing® and Pamela Bennett of Purdue Pharma -- talk about it in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.​
​​​

  • Call for Proposals

    ​ASPMN®‎ will hold its 31st National Conference September 29-October 2 in San Antonio, Texas. The Conference Planning Committee seeks presentation proposals that address important pain management issues, increase the knowledge and skills of pain management nursing professionals, and promote the development of our profession. Proposals on any topic in pain management are welcome for consideration, and virtual presentations are an option.

     PRESENTATION SUBMISSIONS
    Presentation submissions will be accepted for the following session types:

    • General Session (50 minutes)
    • Pre-Conference Workshop (half-day and full-day)
    • Concurrent Session (includes both clinical and research submissions – 50 minutes)
    • Power Session (15-to-25 minutes)
    • Submission Deadline – March 15, 2021 (for general sessions, concurrent sessions, and workshops)
      • ASPMN®‎ will accept both virtual and in-person presentation proposals
    • Clinical, Research, or Industry Poster – The poster submission deadline is later in the spring (after May 1). A separate call for posters will be sent this spring.

    Review submission instructions, including descriptions of submission types and categories.

    Submit a Proposal


  • Our Commitment

    ASPMN recognizes the systemic racism that has affected not only our Black and Brown patients but also our healthcare professional colleagues. Our collective pain and suffering have reached new levels as our nation struggles with a crisis of conscience that has emerged on top of the COVID-19 health crisis.

     As nurses - and more specifically as people who care - we advocate for those who are suffering. For physical pain, that means providing safe and effective pain management. For the emotional and societal pain we now face, however, the solutions will be more difficult.

     We call on our peers to help us in a search for answers and invite you to join a forum to share what you are seeing, how you are feeling, and how we, as a profession, can take effective action.

     We are starting that conversation today by asking each of you to share what's going on for you. What level of pain and grief are you feeling? How are you coping? What small or large things are you doing to help manage the pain for ALL your patients? And most of all, how can we help? 

     Please reach out to us at https://www.facebook.com/ASPMNLearns/


  • February 2020 Special Issue Now Available

    ​This edition is a comprehensive special issue on Trends in Opioid Use for Pain Management and is freely available for all in 2020.


    Click here to access now.


  • ASPMN 2021 National Conference

    ​Save the Date!

    September 29 - October 2, 2021
    San Antonio, Texas

  • $30 for 30!

    ​Help us to celebrate ASPMN®'s 30th Anniversary by making a donation of $30 or more. Your donation will assist ASPMN® with the development of educational materials and provide support for an array of programs that further our mission while allowing us to keep those programs accessible and affordable for our members and the larger pain management nursing community.

    Donate Now




  • National Nurses Month

    Celebrate Nurses Month by recognizing your colleagues for the critical work they do. Recognition fosters greater understanding of the diversity of the nursing profession by honoring exemplary nurses and engaging with your community.

    • Recognize one or more nurses who excel, lead, and innovate through their exemplary courage, community service, advocacy, research and innovation, and years of commitment to the profession by nominating them for an ASPMN® Award.
    • Work with your local ASPMN® Chapter to educate state legislators about the role and value of registered nurses in the health care system. Write a letter or share a video from nurses.
    • Place an article or opinion piece in your state or local newspaper(s), or in a community blog, about Nurses Month and the contributions of nurses.
    • Host a video news conference or an informal virtual media roundtable. Discuss nurses' response to major events and other important health care issues in your community, honor a registered nurse for a heroic act, or bestow an honorary nurse title on a deserving elected official or civic leader.

    #nursesmonth #YON2020 #thankyounurses


  • Help ASPMN® Grow in 2020!

    ​Help ASPMN® grow in 2020 by inviting your colleagues to join ASPMN®.

    We've even designed this handy virtual postcard to make it easier. Just download the postcard, insert it into an email and send it out to the nurses you know that would benefit from being a member.
     
    Our goal is for every current ASPMN® member to gain just one new member this year.
     
    Spread the word and invite a colleague to join today!

  • Draft Report on Pain Management Best Practices

    ​The Draft Report on Pain Management Best Practices: Updates, Gaps, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations, was released with a 90 day public comment period. ASPMN® reviewed the draft document, and provided our comments that can be found here​. It is expected that the final report, following a thorough review of the comments received, will be released late spring or early summer.  


    The draft report can be found here​.​

  • Commission on Combating Drug Addiction & the Opioid Crisis Report

    ​The President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis released their final report on Wednesday, November 1, 2017. That report can be found here​.

  • ASPMN® Announcement

    ​The American Society for Pain Management Nursing® is pleased to support the International Association for the Study of Pain and the European Pain Federation in their recognition of 2017 as the Global Year Against Pain After Surgery. Pain is an expected outcome of surgery, yet to date approximately half of patients report inadequate post-operative pain control. The American Society for Pain Management Nursing®’s mission is to advance and promote optimal nursing care for people affected by pain by promoting best nursing practices. The best way to accomplish this is to disseminate high-quality evidence-based guidelines that advise the use of multimodal analgesics and non-pharmacologic therapies. By partnering with other like-minded pain management professionals worldwide we can begin to improve quality and outcomes for managing pain after surgery for all patients.​

    Click here for more information.

  • Role of the Pain Management Nurse

    What is the role of the Pain Management Nurse? Watch this video to find out​
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