EVALUATION/REASSESSMENT
Evaluation or reassessment of pain
to establish the effectiveness of
interventions is as important as
the initial assessment. Monitoring
side-effects, such as gastric irritation
and constipation, to ensure patients
continue with their medication may
be necessary.
Alternative medications or
titration of the dose may be needed
to provide adequate pain relief with
lower side-effects. The use of nonpharmacological
interventions can be
suggested and encouraged once pain
is tolerable. For many patients, an
increase or improvement in activity
may be as important as the reduction
of pain intensity and should be
included in the evaluation of pain
management interventions
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CONCLUSION
The management of pain should be
a patient-centred activity, starting
with comprehensive assessment of
the pain. If assessment is inadequate,
pain management interventions can
be ineffective.
The interventions used to
manage pain should be decided
with the patient and not necessarily
dependent on medical interventions.
The effectiveness of analgesia is
variable and subject to individual
reaction to the effects and side-effects
of the medication.
Community nurses need to
provide information about the
importance of pain relief, prepare
patients for any side-effects of
medication and include advice
about the importance of nonpharmacological
interventions to
provide holistic, comprehensive
pain management.