Feasibility and Knowledge Retention of Opioid Education in Emergency Department Patients Using a Multimedia Platform

Surge 172

This feasibility descriptive study sought to determine whether a novel multimedia presentation educating patients on the dangers and safe usage of opioid analgesics is feasible in the Emergency Department, and whether patients retain more knowledge if given a short educational video discharge instruction or standard of care verbal instructions. Fifty-two ED patients receiving opioid prescriptions were randomized into the standard of care group, receiving verbal nurse education at discharge, or the education group, receiving a brief video presentation on opiate safety. Both groups were immediately tested after education to gauge their knowledge. 25/26 patients randomized into the intensive education group completed both the video and survey, indicating a 96.1% feasibility. Correct survey answers were summed and averaged by group. The standard of care group averaged 65% retention (16.8/26 correct), while the intensive education group averaged 82% retention (21.2/26 correct). An unpaired t-test analysis revealed that multimedia education significantly increased patient knowledge about opioid medication’s risks, proper usage & disposal (p-value=0.001). Because this is feasible and more effective than the current standard of care, busy EDs may improve discharge instructions for opioid analgesics by adopting a multimedia educational platform. Though only immediate knowledge retention was considered, future research should focus on retention at 4-6 weeks as well as behavioral changes associated with this education. Improving patient literacy and long-term knowledge retention can potentially decrease the non-medical usage of opioid analgesics and ameliorate the opioid epidemic in the United States.