Pain Assessment And PCA Flashcards
Who is considered the best person to assess pain accuractley
The patient themselves
To get a better indication of pain assessment, what can we ask the patient to do
Cough, move, or take a deep breath
What should the initial assessment of the patients pain include
Location, duration, intensity and characteristics of the pain
What is a visual analogue scale and how does the patient use it
A 10 cm line with one end-point indicating no pain and the other indicating the worst pain imaginable. The patient indicates the point on the line that best respesents their pain
What is a verbal numerical rating scale
Patients are asked to indicate the number that best represents their pain, using a scale in which 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable
What is a verbal rating scale and how does the patient use it
The patient is asked to consider a series of words which best describes the pain e.g none, moderate, severe …. etc
What are the advantages of using self reporting pain assessment tools with patients
They can be used alone or with other pain assessment tools, simple to use, give a clear picture of pain intensity, regular use provides evidence of the efficiency of treatment regimens
What does PCA stand for
Patient controlled analgesia
What is the PCA used for
Allows the patient active involvement in the management of their pain, by allowing the patient to self-administer small doses of an analgesic whenever they feel pain via a syringe driver and timing device
What are the advantages of using a PCA approach to pain management aposed to other administrations
- gives the patient a sense of control
- prevents peaks and troughs associated with intermittent injection
- there is no delay between the request for analgesia and the provision of pain relief
- it saves the nurses time
Which of the following would make you suspect an overdose of opioids medication
- reduced level of consciousness
- a respiratory rate of 6 breaths/min
- pinpoint pupils
- all of the above
All of the above
When assessing the patients use of the PCA what are “bad demands”
When the patient pressed the button but did not receive a bonus of analgesic
True or false. PCA works best for patients who have a reduced level of consciousness
False, PCA is dependent on the patient being conscious so that they can use the device effectively
When assessing the patients use of the PCA, what are good demands
When the patient pressed the button and received a bonus of analgesic
What is the “lock-out device” on a PCA machine
This is designed to prevent further doses being given within a specified time period, reducing the risk of an overdose of medication, and to lock the machine to prevent unauthorised changes to the prescription. It is not designed to prevent theft
