Application

A Study of Analgesics
Comfort
 Nursing History
Assessment Physical Assessment
Diagnostic Test
 Nursing Diagnosis
Pain
– Acute/Chronic
– With the description related to
 Planning
Terminology related to pain
Pain Threshold
– Level of stimulus needed to produce the
perception of pain

– Minimum intensity of a stimulus that produces

the sensation of pain
 Planning
Tolerance
– Psychological element of pain
– Point at which pain can no longer be tolerated
 Tolerance
Subjective response
– Pt’s personality, culture, age, past
experiences, ethnic background
– The 5th vital sign
– The most common complaint of people
seeking medical attention
 Pain
Acute
– Sudden, usually sharp
– Physiological response
SNS: Tachycardia, sweating, pallor, increased
blood pressure
 Pain
Chronic
– Slow, long duration, dull persistent aching
 Pain Transmission
Tissue injury causes the release of
– Bradykinin
– Histamine
– Potassium
– Prostaglandins
– serotonin
 Pain Transmission
These stimulate pain fibers
Sends message to the brain via the spinal
cord
Patient has pain
 What can the body do
Endorphins : naturally produced in the
body in response to pain
– Called endogenous analgesics
 Analgesics
Mild: works on peripheral nerve pathways
– aspirin
 Analgesics
Moderate –Severe: works on central
nervous system pathways
– opiods
 Analgesics
Are drugs that relieve pain without
producing loss of consciousness and
reflex activity
 Action of Analgesics
Inhibiting conduction of painful impulses to
the cerebral cortex

– Reduces the patient’s perception of pain

 Action of Analgesics
Altering the mood or attitude of the client
Promotes a sense of well being
Mild euphoria
Changes the client’s reaction to pain
 Action of Analgesics
Produce sedative effects
Produce sleep despite pain
Remember that Pain is part
Physical Sensation and
Emotional Reaction
Analgesic Grouping
 Analgesic Grouping
Mu-agonist: are potent opiod analgesics
– Natural : Morphine
– Synthetic : Meperidine ( Demerol )
 Analgesic Grouping
Agonist-antagonist : can be used for
moderate to severe pain and when the
client cannot tolerate pure opiates
– Talwin
– Stadol
 Analgesic Grouping
Acetaminophen and NSAID : can be used
for mild pain and in conjunction with
opiates
– Tylenol with codeine
– Motrin
– Naprosyn
 Analgesic Grouping
Adjuvants :
– used for their analgesic effects
– Treat other signs and symptoms associated
with pain

Vistaril
Valium
Dilantin
Control of Narcotics
 Control of Narcotics
Physician files DEA number
Charge nurse accepts responsibility for
narcotic records on the unit
Double locked
End of shift count
 Control of Narcotics
Signing out narcotics
– Count must be correct
– Name
– Room number
– Date
– Narcotic dose
 Control of Narcotics
– Doctor’s name
– Name of nurse administering
– Student’s cosign
– Wasting
– Charting