The use of "as-needed" range orders for opioid analgesics in the management of acute pain: a consensus statement of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing and the American Pain Society

The use of "as needed" or "PRN" range orders for opioid analgesics in the management of acute pain is a common clinical practice. This approach provides flexibility in dosing to meet individual patients' unique analgesic requirements. Range orders enable necessary and safe dose adjustments based on an individual's response to treatment. The purpose of this paper is to present the consensus statement of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing and the American Pain Society on the use of "as-needed" range orders for opioid analgesics in the management of acute pain. The implementation of this statement should promote quality pain management through safe medication practices and the appropriate use of range orders for opioid analgesics in acute pain management.

Published by Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses, 2004. The guideline itself is at the source linked here.

doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2004.04.001