Opioid Medications: A Case Study

Hydrocodone and hydrocodone combination medications were rescheduled from Schedule III controlled substance to Schedule II controlled substances on October 6, 2014. This shift brought about several changes in prescribing practices and has produced several issues for patients who require pain control. Hydrocodone and hydrocodone combinations products should be reclassified as Schedule III controlled substances because patients who truly need this type of pain medication are being denied adequate pain control, in some states mid-level practitioners are no longer able to prescribe these medications, and emergency room physicians often avoid prescribing them even to those who present with obviously painful injuries or conditions. There are many patients who have become addicted to hydrocodone, due to it being an opioid medication and these addiction problem are what ultimately brought about the decision to change its classification, however those who take their medication properly are suffering as well. Hydrocodone, is a form of medication used to treat many types of pain. It can be used to treat acute ailments such as a sprain or break, but it is also prescribed for post-operative pain management and to treat chronic

Jason, an oil field worker who suffered a seizure that resulted in a shattered shoulder was not so lucky. He required two surgeries to repair the damage that was done. The second surgery was done as an outpatient procedure and before being discharged from the hospital, he was given morphine for his pain. Upon discharge, however, he was only prescribed a mild pain medication, which then resulted in him returning to the emergency room that same evening, to get his pain under control. It took him the trip to the ER and another visit to his surgeon to acquire the appropriate treatment for his post-operative pain. This is absolutely unacceptable