Matt Lowe, MDiv, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, ONC, sat down with Diane Jeselskis, BSN, RN, ONC and Lisa Holtz, RN, MSN, ONC, to discuss their organization’s practice at combating the opioid epidemic. Traditionally, the healthcare system prescribes opioids to patients with a no pain goal, but the practice has led to a high distribution of opioid use has led to a high distribution of opioid prescriptions and poor patient outcomes. According to the CDC, 75% of drug overdoses in 2020 involved opioids. Diane and Lisa discuss other modalities such as nerve blocks, regional and peripheral anesthesia as well as non-narcotic medication like anti-inflammatories and NSAIDs to reduce pain. In addition, we’ll discuss patient situations for cold compression devices, deep breathing, and injectable medication treatments that can be used 2 weeks post- surgery. They’ll discuss multimodal pain management and ERAS (enhanced recovery after surgery) protocols for orthopaedic surgery patients to reduce readmission rates, costs, and length of stay, as well as improve patient satisfaction. 

The new host of No Bones About it, Matt Lowe, MDiv, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, ONC, sat down with Jessica Carlson, MSN, RN and Michelle Osborne, DNP, RN, NE-BC at NAON's 43rd Annual Congress to discuss their backgrounds, podium, and poster presentations.

Jessica Carlson, MSN, RN presented the podium session “Journeys to Bone and Joint Wellness with Personalized Education and Treatment Pathways” along with her colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Jessica works with the Center for Bone and Joint Health at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital to focus on nonoperative whole person wellness through the lens of social determinants of health. This session provided an outline for an innovative, personalized approach to diagnosis, workup and interventions.

Michelle Osborne, DNP, RN, NE-BC is the director of Patient Care Services at Northwell Health and manages the surgical orthopaedic unit at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital. In 2022, this unit won the NAON Orthopaedic Nursing Excellence (ONE) Award which acknowledges professionalism in nursing practice through demonstration of exemplary care for patients, and achievement in quality outcomes, collaborative interdisciplinary work environments, and professional growth opportunities. Michelle presented the poster titled “Nurses Using a Collaborative Approach to Improve Hospital Length of Stay & Patient Experience on a Surgical Orthopedic Unit”. Michelle explained how the inter-professional team collaborates to optimize patient care and outcomes.

We are so excited to sit down with another organization, the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) for a discussion with two great Nurse Practitioner educators. Our hosts Jennylynn Balmer and Bryan Combs sit down with Kathleen Geier, and A.J. Benham a great team from Jackson Orthopaedic Foundation. The focus for these educators is on advanced practice nursing in primary care settings, and the nursing process in caring for patients.

We learn so much about each other, education of NPs as both organizations see a growth of NPs in practice, and the organizations themselves. Make sure to tune in as you’ll take away a new perspective.