Polypharmacy, Opioids and Benzodiazepines

Polypharmacy, Opioids and Benzodiazepines

In this course, Dr. Nichols will address what polypharmacy is and the impact of polypharmacy on patient care and quality of life. This course also addresses management strategies for polypharmacy, emphasizing polypharmacy management that involves opioids and benzodiazepines.

Course objectives:

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Recognize how polypharmacy impacts patient care and patient quality of life
  • Describe management of polypharmacy involving opioids and benzodiazepines

How it Works

After watching a video presentation by Stephanie Nichols, Pharm.D., you will be required to take a short quiz. Upon receiving a grade of 80% or higher, you will be directed to a course evaluation. Once you have completed the evaluation, you will be able to download a .pdf certificate to get your course credit.

Outline

  • Video Presentation
  • Exit quiz requiring a score of at least 80% to earn contact hours
  • Evaluation of the training

About the Presenter

Stephanie Nichols

Stephanie Nichols, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP, FCCP, is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the University of New England College of Pharmacy, Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Tufts University School of Medicine, and a Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Pharmacist at Maine Medical Center in Portland.  She graduated from the University at Buffalo with her Doctor of Pharmacy degree and completed an Inpatient Pharmacy Practice Residency at Maine Medical Center.  Dr. Nichols is dual-board certified as a Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS) and a Psychiatric Pharmacist (BCPP) and is a fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (FCCP).

In her role at the University, Dr. Nichols is involved in teaching mental health, pain, and medicine therapeutics, providing experiential education rotations for learners (95 and counting), serving on College, University, and community committees, and mentoring students and residents.  In her role at the Health System, she is involved in providing direct patient care to patients with mental illness, providing psychopharmacotherapy consults, teaching patients and other members of the interprofessional team about pharmacotherapy, and participating in population health endeavors, including: co-development of policies and procedures regarding opioid withdrawal, clozapine, ketamine, naloxone, and alcohol withdrawal. She is also extremely passionate about interprofessional education and care, and about reducing stigma around mental illness and SUDs. Dr. Nichols has received multiple awards for her excellence in clinical practice, teaching, and research.

Dr. Nichols has co-published over 20 manuscripts in journals including: Pain, J of Psychopharmacology, Pharmacotherapy, Psychosomatics, PLoS ONE, J of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, Pharmacology, Peer J, and Preventative Medicine. Her research interests include: SUDs, psychotropic polypharmacy, and prevention, detection, and mitigation of psychotropic drug related problems. She is also very active in national clinical pharmacy organizations and serves as an expert consultant for the SAMHS Opioid Response Network (ORN, formerly STR-TA). View Bio

 

Contact Hours

Certificates will be issued upon completion of an online course evaluation.
No partial credit will be given.

  • 1 contact hour pending for nurses.
    CCSME Provider Unit is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Northeast Multi-State Division (NE-MSD), an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
    Accreditation status does not imply endorsement by ANCC, NE-MSD or CCSME Provider Unit.
  • Certificate of completion for 1 contact hour for Social Workers, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors, and other Professionals.

Important Info

Disclosure: Neither the presenter nor the program planners (CCSME) have any commercial interest or conflict of interest to disclose.

Disclaimer: This course is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice. The views, opinions, and content expressed in this presentation do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or policies of the Co-Occurring Collaborative Serving Maine (CCSME).

 

Course Content