Published on Dec 6, 2018
The General Assembly in 2017 mandated a workgroup to establish educational guidelines for training health care providers in the safe prescribing and appropriate use of opioids. These Core Competencies in Addiction, Pain Management and Opioid Prescribing have been sent to Virginia's schools of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy, as well as Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant Programs, for incorporation into the training of their students.
A second workgroup looked at competencies for professionals who, although they do not prescribe, often provide care for patients with the disease of addiction or who are receiving opioids for pain. The Virginia Core Competencies in Addiction, Opioids and Pain Management for Non-Prescribers are a curricular framework for Virginia’s schools that educate registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, dental hygienists, professional counselors, psychologists and social workers.