Opioids and Surgery

Offered byFutureLearn

Opioids and Surgery
at
FutureLearn
Overview

Gain a practical approach to perioperative opioid stewardship to minimise harms from opioids prescribed at the time of surgery.

Duration	3 weeks
Total fee	₹2,205
Mode of learning	Online
Difficulty level	Advanced
Credential	Certificate

Opioids and Surgery
at
FutureLearn
Highlights

Earn a certificate from UCL

Opioids and Surgery
at
FutureLearn
Course details

More about this course

Opioids play an important role in facilitating recovery and return to function after surgery. However, it is now well-established that surgery is a risk factor for persistent postoperative opioid use.
On this three-week course, you'll explore the key concepts of opioid stewardship. You'll learn how to minimise the risks associated with opioid use around the time of surgery whilst allowing safe administration to patients who are most likely to benefit from them.
You'll start by examining the causes of the world-wide opioid crisis.
This will help you gain an understanding of the challenges of balancing the benefits of opioids against the risks of prescribed opioid-related harm. You'll also discuss inadequate perioperative pain management leading to poor patient outcomes.
You'll learn about the mechanisms of opioid tolerance and dependence, opioid use disorder and non-opioid responsive pain, as well as persistent postoperative opioid use.
You'll also explore the different properties of opioid drugs that are responsible for both their desired analgesic actions and the adverse drug-related patient outcomes we try to avoid.
Through the concept of opioid stewardship, you'll learn how to promote appropriate safe opioid prescribing and minimise adverse drug events and persistent postoperative opioid use.
You'll discuss practical strategies including opioid-free and opioid-sparing anaesthesia and analgesia.
Throughout the course, you'll learn from experts at the University College London Hospital Pain Management Centre and Complex Pain Team at University College London (UCL).