This case study describes prescribing and administration of oxycontin in a pain management teaching hospital. Secondary tests were assessment of staff knowledge of opioid pharmacology and new preparations, and of pain management barriers limiting opioid use. Designed relevance in a survey of pain patients requiring oxycontin was performed. An anonymous questionnaire was passed to medical and nursing staff members. Setting. American pain management teaching hospital. All patients prescribed opioids on study rooms over 5 months (N = 230). Results. Oxycodone was the most frequently prescribed medicine (65.4%). The majority (44.7%) of pain management patients had incomplete relief, which was somewhat associated with having oxycontin related side effects. The directional association between pain relief and prescribed dosage of opioids. Limited situational understanding of opioid medicine, tolerance, and dependence was tested by pain management staff. The most common perceived limits to oxycontin use included difficulties in corrections on the right dosage, staff time prescribing and monitoring of pain management clinic patients. While prescription of adequate doses was limited in perception, this oxycontin pain management study identified that maximum medicinal doses were administered. An opioid pain clinic educational session improved knowledge of oxycodone formulas. Conclusion. The majority of pain clinic patients had incomplete pain relief and the maximum medication of opioids were not adequate. Reported limits included staff knowledge of oxycontin dose titration and opioid medicine, and time constraints. directional limits included pain doctors knowledge of opioid preparations.
