NYSANA Announces Partnership with The Society for Opioid Free Anesthesia

The New York State Association of Nurse Anesthetists has announced a new partnership with The Society for Opioid Free Anesthesia.

SOFA was founded by Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists to help raise awareness regarding the increasing role opioid-free anesthesia care is playing in the operating room, in clinical settings and post operatively.

“CRNAs are at the forefront of combatting opioid addiction by using opioid-sparing techniques before, during and after surgical procedures,” said NYSANA President Cheryl Spulecki, DNAP, MS, RN, CRNA. “Our partnership with SOFA will help educate the public and other health care professionals, as well as lawmakers and public policy experts about the other methods and products that can minimize or eliminate pain and discomfort in patients.”

Opioid-free anesthesia is preferred in treating many types of patients, including those who may be addicted to opioids, recovering from addiction, or those who prefer to not have opioids administered during a procedure. The potential for nausea, respiratory depression and other post-operative complications caused by opioids in medical procedures also supports the movement to find alternative pain management mechanisms.

“For decades opioids have been used as the primary method of pain control during and after surgery. This method makes post-operative pain harder to control and leads to a host of other complications,” said SOFA Founder Tom Baribeault, CRNA, MSN. “Our relationship with NYSANA will lead to greater awareness of how to provide safer and more effective pain management.”

Health care professionals are increasingly using non-opioids for pre-, intra- and post-operative care, including such things as oral magnesium, gabapentin and ibuprofen after surgery, and hydrocodone for breakthrough pain. Lidocaine, sub-anesthetic ketamine and ketorolac are also effective depending on the patient’s health condition and age.

NYSANA is hosting a three-day symposium in New York city from Oct. 19 to 21 to increase awareness about opioid-free anesthesia, discuss the anatomy and physiology of chronic pain, address addiction and diversion, the role of opioids in cancer recurrence, and improving outcomes in pediatric patients by reducing preoperative opioid use.

About NYSANA

About New York State Association of Nurse Anesthetists (NYSANA):
NYSANA is the statewide professional association representing the interests of over 1,600 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists providing high quality, safe and cost-effective anesthesia care to residents across New York state in every setting anesthesia services are provided.

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