Pain Management Overview

Questions and Answers

What is the purpose of pain management?

Reduce pain to a comfortable level for the client

How is pain intensity commonly classified?

On a scale from 0 to 10

What does nociception refer to?

The process of encoding and processing noxious stimuli

According to the Gate Control Theory, what is the role of spinal cord gates?

Preventing pain signals from reaching the brain Signup and view all the answers

Which factor does not influence pain perception?

Genetic makeup Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the common side effects of opioids mentioned in the text?

Sedation Signup and view all the answers

Which analgesic is recommended by the World Health Organization for moderate pain according to the three-step analgesic ladder?

Morphine Signup and view all the answers

What is the antidote for opioid overdose as stated in the text?

Naloxone Signup and view all the answers

What is a non-pharmacological pain management strategy mentioned in the text that includes acupressure?

Physical modalities Signup and view all the answers

Which route of opioid delivery involves using patient-controlled analgesia in acute care settings?

Intravenous Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Pain is defined as an unpleasant, highly personal experience that can affect all aspects of an individual's life, with subjective nature.
Pain management aims to elevate or reduce pain to a comfortable level for the client, even if the initial cause of pain heals.
Types of pain include acute (short-term) and chronic (long-lasting), with different physiological and behavioral responses.
Pain intensity is commonly classified on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain), with mild, moderate, and severe categories.
Pain can be categorized by location, duration (acute or chronic), intensity (mild to severe), and etiology (nociceptic or neuropathic pain).
Nociception is the process of encoding and processing noxious stimuli through specialized sensory receptors called nociceptors.
The Gate Control Theory suggests that the spinal cord contains gates that can block or allow pain signals to reach the brain.
Factors influencing pain perception include cultural values, developmental stages, environmental factors, previous pain experiences, and the meaning of pain.
Accurate pain assessment involves obtaining a pain history, observing behavioral and physiological responses, and using tools like the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale.
Nursing diagnoses related to pain include acute pain, chronic pain, ineffective coping, and impaired physical mobility.
Effective pain management strategies include addressing misconceptions, reducing fear and anxiety, and preventing pain through preemptive analgesia.
Pharmacologic pain management includes opioids, non-opioids (NSAIDs, acetaminophen), and co-analgesics (tricyclic antidepressants, anti-convulsants).
The World Health Organization's three-step analgesic ladder provides guidelines for aligning analgesic use with pain intensity, starting from mild pain.- Three-step analgesic ladder by the World Health Organization: non-opioids for mild pain, opioids for moderate pain like hydrocodone, and stronger opioids for severe pain like morphine and fentanyl.
Common side effects of opioids: constipation, nausea, vomiting, sedation, respiratory depression, urinary retention.
Routes of opioid delivery include oral, transnasal, transdermal, rectal, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, and intraspinal (epidural and intrathecal).
Naloxone (Narcan) is the antidote for opioid overdose and should be readily available for patients receiving opioid-containing epidural infusions.
Patient-controlled analgesia allows patients to self-administer analgesics for pain management, commonly used via the IV route in acute care settings.
Non-pharmacologic pain management strategies include physical modalities (massage, heat/cold therapy, acupressure), cognitive-behavioral interventions (distraction, relaxation response, coping mechanisms), and invasive therapies like nerve blocks.
Immobilization or bracing can help manage acute pain episodes by restricting movement, but prolonged immobilization should be avoided to prevent joint contracture and muscle atrophy.