Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a non-pharmacological intervention to help manage pain?
What is a non-pharmacological intervention to help manage pain?
What is a factor that can increase sensitivity to pain?
What is a factor that can increase sensitivity to pain?
How can prior experiences affect pain perception?
How can prior experiences affect pain perception?
What is a cultural influence on pain expression?
What is a cultural influence on pain expression?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a key component of a comprehensive treatment plan for pain management?
What is a key component of a comprehensive treatment plan for pain management?
Signup and view all the answers
What is an effective way to reduce anxiety and fear related to pain?
What is an effective way to reduce anxiety and fear related to pain?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a contributing factor to the undertreatment of pain in older adults?
What is a contributing factor to the undertreatment of pain in older adults?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is a cause of chronic pain?
Which of the following is a cause of chronic pain?
Signup and view all the answers
What is an important part of managing pain exacerbations?
What is an important part of managing pain exacerbations?
Signup and view all the answers
Which population is at risk for undertreatment of pain?
Which population is at risk for undertreatment of pain?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a key aspect of patient-centered care when it comes to pain management?
What is a key aspect of patient-centered care when it comes to pain management?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a cultural influence on pain perception?
What is a cultural influence on pain perception?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a goal of scheduling pain interventions around the clock?
What is a goal of scheduling pain interventions around the clock?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is it important to use nursing judgment when administering analgesics?
Why is it important to use nursing judgment when administering analgesics?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary goal of cognitive-behavioral measures in pain management?
What is the primary goal of cognitive-behavioral measures in pain management?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is an example of a physical approach to improve comfort?
Which of the following is an example of a physical approach to improve comfort?
Signup and view all the answers
Opioid analgesics are appropriate for treating which type of pain?
Opioid analgesics are appropriate for treating which type of pain?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a potential adverse effect of opioid use that requires monitoring?
What is a potential adverse effect of opioid use that requires monitoring?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of using cold therapy in pain management?
What is the purpose of using cold therapy in pain management?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is an example of a distraction technique?
Which of the following is an example of a distraction technique?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is it essential to monitor the client's respiratory rate when administering opioids?
Why is it essential to monitor the client's respiratory rate when administering opioids?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary benefit of using non-pharmacological interventions in pain management?
What is the primary benefit of using non-pharmacological interventions in pain management?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a key challenge in assessing pain in clients?
What is a key challenge in assessing pain in clients?
Signup and view all the answers
Chronic pain that arises from damage to or dysfunction of the nervous system is classified as:
Chronic pain that arises from damage to or dysfunction of the nervous system is classified as:
Signup and view all the answers
What is an important consideration when administering analgesics around the clock?
What is an important consideration when administering analgesics around the clock?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a consequence of undertreating pain in clients?
What is a consequence of undertreating pain in clients?
Signup and view all the answers
The physiological response to nociceptive pain involves the activation of which nervous system?
The physiological response to nociceptive pain involves the activation of which nervous system?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Pain Management
- Medicating clients prior to painful procedures can prevent or minimize pain.
Factors Affecting the Pain Experience
- Age:
- Infants cannot verbalize or understand their pain.
- Older adult clients can have multiple pathologies, causing pain and limiting function.
- Fatigue: Increases sensitivity to pain.
- Genetic sensitivity: Can increase or decrease pain tolerance.
- Cognitive function: Clients with cognitive impairment might not report pain or report it accurately.
- Prior experiences: Can increase or decrease sensitivity depending on whether clients obtained adequate relief.
- Anxiety and fear: Increase sensitivity to pain.
- Support systems and coping styles: Presence can decrease sensitivity to pain.
- Culture: Influences how clients express pain or the meaning they give to pain.
Undertreatment of Pain
- Causes:
- Cultural and societal attitudes
- Lack of knowledge
- Fear of addiction
- Exaggerated fear of respiratory depression
- Populations at risk: Infants, children, older adults, and clients with substance use disorder.
Nursing Care
- Schedule pain interventions around the clock to keep pain at a tolerable level.
- Include PRN dosing to manage pain exacerbations.
- Review provider prescriptions for analgesia, noting mild, moderate, or severe pain.
- Use nursing judgment to determine the prescription to administer based on client data.
- Take a proactive approach by giving analgesics before pain becomes severe.
Causes of Acute and Chronic Pain
- Trauma
- Surgery
- Cancer (tumor invasion, nerve compression, bone metastases, associated infections, immobility)
- Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Neuropathy
- Diagnostic or treatment procedures (injection, etc.)
Pain-Relief Measures
- Cognitive-behavioral measures: Changing the way clients perceive pain.
- Physical approaches to improve comfort:
- Cutaneous (skin) stimulation: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), heat, cold, therapeutic touch, and massage.
- Cold for inflammation.
- Heat to increase blood flow and reduce stiffness.
- Distraction: Decreased attention to the presence of pain can decrease perceived pain level.
Opioid Analgesics
- Used for treating moderate to severe pain (postoperative pain, myocardial infarction pain, cancer pain).
- Essential to monitor and intervene for adverse effects of opioid use:
- Sedation: Monitor level of consciousness and take safety precautions.
- Respiratory depression: Monitor respiratory rate prior to and following administration of opioids.
Pain Management
- Undertreatment of pain is a serious healthcare problem, leading to physiological and psychological consequences, including anxiety, fear, and depression.
Types of Pain
- Nociceptive pain:
- Arises from damage or inflammation of tissue, triggering pain receptors (nociceptors)
- Typical characteristics: throbbing, aching, localized, and responds to opioids and non-opioid medications
- Subtypes:
- Somatic: in bones, joints, muscles, skin, or connective tissues
- Visceral: in internal organs (e.g., stomach or intestines)
- Cutaneous: in the skin or subcutaneous tissue
- Neuropathic pain:
- Arises from abnormal or damaged pain nerves
- Typical characteristics: intense, shooting, burning, or "pins and needles"
- Responds to adjuvant medications (antidepressants, antispasmodic agents, skeletal muscle relaxants) and topical medications
Physiology of Pain
- Transduction: conversion of painful stimuli to an electrical impulse through peripheral nerve fibers
- Transmission: electrical impulse travels along nerve fibers, regulated by neurotransmitters
- Pain threshold: point at which a person feels pain
- Pain tolerance: amount of pain a person is willing to bear
- Modulation: occurs in the spinal cord, causing muscles to contract reflexively, moving the body away from painful stimuli
- Perception or awareness of pain: occurs in various areas of the brain, influenced by thought and emotional processes
Substances Affecting Pain Transmission
- Substances that increase pain transmission and cause an inflammatory response:
- Substance P
- Prostaglandins
- Bradykinin
- Histamine
- Substances that decrease pain transmission and produce analgesia:
- Serotonin
- Endorphins
Pain Assessment
- Use anatomical terminology and landmarks to describe location (superficial, deep, referred, or radiating)
- Intensity, strength, and severity are "measures" of the pain
- Setting: how the pain affects daily life or activities of daily living
Pain Categories
- Categorized by duration: acute or chronic
- Categorized by origin: nociceptive or neuropathic
- Acute pain:
- Protective, temporary, usually self-limiting, with a direct cause, and resolves with tissue healing
- Physiological responses: fight-or-flight responses (e.g., tachycardia, hypertension, anxiety, diaphoresis, muscle tension)
- Behavioral responses: grimacing, moaning, flinching, and guarding
- Chronic pain:
- Not protective, can lead to chronic pain syndrome if unrelieved
- Can be managed with pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies, including invasive therapies (nerve ablation) for intractable cancer-related pain
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
This quiz covers the importance of medicating clients prior to painful medical procedures, factors that affect the pain experience, and instructing clients to report pain. It also discusses how age affects pain management.
