Pain and Medication Use Following Surgery

Patients will receive an informational sheet about how to dispose of leftover opioid medication during discharge. Nurses will provide this information sheet and a brief, scripted description of its use and importance of safe disposal at the time of discharge following surgery.

This system is a pouch that deactivates prescription drugs, rendering them ineffective for misuse and safe for regular garbage disposal. It uses a patented activated carbon technology to deactivate drugs, including pills, liquids, and patches, and has been found to be 99% percent effective in studies funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA). Additionally, the pouches are made from environmentally friendly materials and contain active ingredients that are considered non-toxic and pose minimal risk, according to their MSDS. Nurses will provide the Deterra bag and a brief, scripted description of its use and importance of safe disposal at the time of discharge following surgery.