Educating Patients About Opioid Disposal: A Key Role for Perianesthesia Nurses.

PURPOSE: To examine opioid prescription practices, patient use of opioids after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and patient knowledge about disposal of unused medication.

DESIGN: Mixed methods design with a chart review and structured phone interview.

METHODS: Thirty-four patients were interviewed by phone and asked how many opioids were prescribed, how many excess pills they had 6 to 10 days postoperatively, and if they knew how to dispose of them.

FINDINGS: Average number of excess pills ranged from 0 to 42 (mean = 14; SD = 11.7). Nearly half of patients (47%) perceived the prescribed quantity as "too many." Seventy-one percent of patients using opioids for 5 days or less and 88% did not recall any instruction about medication disposal.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients often have excess prescribed opioids after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and they do not understand proper disposal of unused medications. Education about proper disposal of unused opioids medications is a key role of perianesthesia.