Date of Award

4-30-2025

Document Type

Independent Study

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Department

Nursing

Program Affiliation

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

First Advisor

Dr. Jody Goard

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion of how a medication opioid use disorder (MOUD) programs integrated into the emergency department (ED) can improve patient’s outcomes compared to standard ED discharges. This study utilized a systematic literature review using PubMed, CINAHL and Google Scholar. The initial literature search identified 594 articles. After applying the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 18 articles were selected. Inclusion criteria included peer reviewed articles that focused on opioid use disorder (OUD) patients treated in the ED with OUD medications while exclusion criteria involved articles with OUD patients treated in ED without OUD medications. The level of evidence summary for the 18 selected articles indicated the strongest level of evidence came from randomized control trials while cohort and qualitative studies provided data at a lower level of evidence. The results are divided into four sections; treatment compliance and readmissions rates, reduction in opioid relapse, enhanced recovery outcomes and comparison to standard ED discharge. Based on this literature review, implementing MOUD programs in the ED is effective in the fight against OUD when compared to standard ED discharge practices. Implementation of MOUD programs in EDs help reduce mortality rates related to opioid use disorders by decreasing the risks of fatal overdoses and offering treatment in the early stages of recovery. EDs serve as the entry point for OUD patients and can connect them to supportive services, providing structured recovery plans to help reduce relapse and subsequent ED visits.

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