A survey of pain assessment and management practices among critical care nurses.
BACKGROUND
Postoperative pain is one of the major obstacles in the prevention of complications during patient recovery. Pain and its management have gained great interest among researchers, clinicians and policy-makers.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between two variables in pain assessment (length of time after surgery and ventilator status) and medication decisions made by critical care nurses, and to identify nurses' concerns about opioid use.


METHODS
A convenience sample of 71 critical care nurses participated in the survey.


RESULTS
Certain patient conditions such as length of time after surgery and ventilator status affected nurses' assessment and management of pain. Nurses' knowledge about pain assessment and management may affect patient care and outcomes.
Gujol
M C
MC
Mount St Mary's College, Department of Nursing, Los Angeles, CA 90049.
D000328:Adult; D003422:Critical Care; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000451:nursing*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000451:nursing*; D013527:Perioperative Nursing; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D009020:Morphine