According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 91 people die every day from an opioid overdose. AANA is committed to taking action toward solutions to the opioid epidemic, with CRNAs playing a key role in the process.
There are many possible solutions to address the many elements of the current opioid crisis. These complex issues require the expertise of many stakeholders from healthcare, the communities and policy agencies in each state for success. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are uniquely positioned to contribute through leadership or participation in collaborative initiatives to redu ce the impact of the opioid crisis in their state.
The AANA has compiled a resource toolkit to provide guidance for State Associations of Nurse Anesthetists (SANAs), as well as Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNAs) and CRNAs to identify opportunities to create, lead or serve when asked to be involved in a state or community initiative. Each state’s opioid crisis experience and resources are unique. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) Opioid Safety and Advocacy State Toolkit and related state opioid crisis resources are available at here.
The AANA has also developed and compiled resources and tools for patients and healthcare providers to support meaningful decision-making regarding acute and chronic pain management, opioid safety, substance use disorder, and more. Those resources can be found here. Information provided by AANA
