The management and treatment of procedural
pain requires careful assessment and planning.
Taking a patient’s clinical history is an important
factor in making treatment decisions before,
during and after the procedure. For example, if
the patient has undergone the same procedure
before, information about how he or she coped
with the pain and which interventions were most
effective may help future management. If patients
are already taking opioid analgesics for an
existing problem, opioid tolerance may need
to be considered before deciding on opioid
doses. It is also important to establish whether the
patient has any allergies or hypersensitivities to
specific drugs. The healthcare professional should
take responsibility for anticipating painful
procedures and administer appropriate treatment
beforehand (Ashley and Given 2008).
Suture or clip removal.