Drug Diversion Awareness and Best Practices

April 16, 2026

A. Who is the presentation for? This education series identifies education needs and caregiver gaps in the hospice setting, and targets professional hospice caregivers including family services (social workers, chaplains and bereavement counselors), providers (physicians and nurse practitioners), registered nurses and certified nursing assistants. B. What are their current skills or knowledge levels? Each health professional is a caregiver licensed or certified in their discipline and utilizes skills, training and aptitudes for care-giving with end of life medical, emotional, psychological and/or spiritual care needs of patients and their families. C. What challenges or gaps do they face? Hospice providers experience increasing challenges understanding and implementing new opioid related regulations and disposal procedures, especially amid the ongoing opioid crisis. Hospice clinicians report variable familiarity with diversion risk mitigation strategies and difficulties applying policies in home based settings.

Target Audience

Allied Health Professionals

Fellows

Nurses

Nurse Practitioners

Physicians

Physician Assistants

Learning Objectives

Defining drug diversion and summarize hospice-specific risk factors and prevalence benchmarks from current evidence. 

Identifying clinical, behavioral, and environmental indicators of diversion in the home setting using case vignettes. 

Applying a standardized protocol for prevention, monitoring, documentation, and medication disposal (including post-death steps) that aligns with CMS/ASHP/Delphi guidance.

Describing how to communicate effectively with patients/families about storage, opioid risks, and disposal using a trauma-informed script.

Navigating ethical and spiritual complexities and deploy at least two strategies to reduce moral distress within the team. 

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 2.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)
  • 2.00 ANCC
  • 2.00 Attendance
  • 0.20 IACET CEU
  • 2.00 JA Credit - AH
    • 2.00 Approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)
Registration Opens: 
04/16/2026
Registration Expires: 
06/16/2026
Activity Starts: 
04/16/2026 - 8:30am EDT
Activity Ends: 
04/16/2026 - 10:30am EDT
Rating: 
0

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)

ANCC

IACET CEU

JA Credit - AH

Available Credit

  • 2.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)
  • 2.00 ANCC
  • 2.00 Attendance
  • 0.20 IACET CEU
  • 2.00 JA Credit - AH
    • 2.00 Approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)
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