Pain Management Flashcards
What are the three main roles of the nurse in relation to pain management?
- assessment and re-assessment of pain
- initiation of pain relief measures (pharmacological and non pharmacological)
- evaluation of effectiveness of interventions
What is the definition of pain?
- pain is whatever the person is experiencing whenever they say it is happening
- pain is PERSONAL
Characteristics of acute pain
- sudden onset
- lasting less than 3 months
- well defined: time, location, event/cause
- mild to severe
- sympathetic nervous system/vital changes: increased HR, increased BP, and increased RR; diaphoretic (sweating), and anxiety
- guarding or crying
Characteristics of chronic pain
- gradual onset
- lasting longer than 3 months
- poorly localized: everywhere hurts, no exact timing/cause
- mild to severe
- mood changes: exhausted, passive, withdrawn, depressed, poor quality of life
- slow recovery
- continuous or intermittent flare-ups (good days and bad days)
What are the different types of pain?
- nociceptive pain: somatic or visceral
- neuropathic pain: peripheral nerves
What is somatic pain?
- aching or throbbing pain
- well localized
- arises from bone, joints, muscle, skin, or connective tissue
What is visceral pain?
- deeper pain
- arises from visceral organs; GI tract, liver, bladder
- surgical site, broken bone, arthritis, tumor
What is neuropathic pain?
- caused by damage to peripheral nerves
- burning, stabbing, shooting
- sudden, intense, short-lived, or lingering
What helps with chronic pain?
-distractions: tv, music, walks, pets, games, conversations
What is important to remember when assessing pain?
-the words the patients use to describe pain
What are the 6 pain management principles?
- always believe the patient
- every patient deserves pain management and a competent, knowledgable nurse
- side effects must be prevented or managed ex. nausea, sedation, constipation
- treatment plans should use a combination of drug and non-drug therapies
- establish a consistent, trusting relationship with patient AND family
- evaluate and re-assess often: did the interventions help?
What are examples of non-drug therapies?
- relaxation
- yoga
- heat or ice pack
- music
- conversation
How do you build a good relationship with patient and family?
- be sincere
- act interested
- try hard and advocate for the patient
- be competent, knowledgable, and informed
- keep trying to relieve pain until it is gone or better and then re-assess often
What are the five major points to look at when assessing pain?
- Location
- Intensity: numerical scale, descriptive (no, mild, mod, severe, worst pain ever), visual
- Quality: stabbing, sharp, dull, burning, shooting, deep
- Onset and Duration: when is it better/worse? continuous or intermittent? breakthrough pain?
- Precipitating, Exacerbating, and/or Relieving Factors
Who experiences a lot of breakthrough pain? How is it treated?
- cancer patients
- using PRN meds along with scheduled meds
