Pain 3 Flashcards
What is the best way to assess pain or to support using the nursing diagnosis “alteration in comfort”?
anxiety, ineffective coping, fatigue, acute pain, chronic pain, ineffective role performance, disturbed sleep patterns
the ultimate goal is for the client to
to function to the best possible extent
setting priorities
nurse and patient discuss realistic expectations
continuity of care
who do you want on your team? variety of resources (team concept)
Health Promotion -
Clients are better able to handle a situation when they understand what to expect. Take time to teach the patient what to expect. Fear increases the perception of painful stimuli.
The concept of Holistic Health
looks at the emotional meaning of health and the significance of the problem in light of their purpose in life.
Non-pharmacological Pain Relief:
relaxation and guided imagery, distraction, biofeedback, cutaneous stimulation, herbals, reducing painful stimuli and perception
relaxation and guided imagery -
“see yourself lying in the cool grass…”
distraction -
pleasurable stimuli causes release of endorphins – block pain / close the gate; music is often used
biofeedback -
behavioral therapy involves getting information about physiological responses to produce deep relaxation; may use polygraph machine to record muscle tension; takes several weeks to learn.
cutaneous stimulation -
touch & massage, hot/cold; TENS; accupressure
herbals -
no significant research to show correlation with pain management; ask what they are taking to avoid drug/herb interactions
reducing painful stimuli and perception -
remove the source of stimulation (ie: constipation = abdominal cramping; arthritic knee = painful ambulation); administer medications to minimize pain experience.
Controlling Painful Stimuli:
Managing the client’s environment – bed, linens, temperature; Positioning; Changing wet clothes and dressing; Monitoring equipment, bandages, hot and cold applications; Preventing urinary retention and constipation
Analgesics –
(regulated according to pain scale) NSAIDS or Nonopiods, opiods, adjuvants
if patient has pain scale of 0-3 then use
comfort measures
NSAIDS or nonopiods
mild to moderate acute intermittent pain (headache)
opiods
moderate to severe acute pain (cancer or post-op pain)