There have been many changes in pain management due to the pandemic. The opioid epidemic continues to worsen and certain precautions need to be followed for safe administration of pain medications. As the self-report continues to be the gold standard for pain assessment, the utilization of functional status helps to give additional information regarding the effectiveness of the pain management plan. All pain management plans need to have multi-modal therapy as their base. Implicit bias may influence healthcare providers' care of the patient with pain. Utilization of marijuana presents specific challenges for inpatient care facilities. This presentation will explore these subjects and facilitate discussion on the ever-changing world of pain management.

Nurse Learner Outcome: At the conclusion of this learning activity participants will self-report a knowledge gain in the practice skills needed for safe effective pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management and the federal and state laws related to the use of controlled substances on the post-event evaluation.

Learner Objectives:

1. Describe the effects that the pandemic has had on the world of pain management and the opioid epidemic.
2. State the importance of multi-modal, individualized pain management in the elderly patient.
3. Identify the elements of implicit bias in pain management.
4. List the two reasons why marijuana is not allowed in facilities receiving government payment.