Pain Control

General Points:

• • Pain is subjective, and therapy must be individualized. 

  • Always have a plan to treat undiagnosed pain.

  • Know the source and type of pain you are treating.

  • Patient should have enough pain medications to keep them pain free.

  • Schedule pain meds at appropriate doses.

  • Write PRN pain med orders

  • For chronic pain, nonnarcotic preparations should be used when possible.

  • Ask to be notified if patient's pain symptoms persists or increases

  • Consider getting an anesthesia or pain consult for persistent, severe, uncontrolled pain.

  • Always consider allergies, comorbidities, drug-drug interactions, and potential side effects, before starting pain medications.

  • Trust your instincts. If you think the patient is being manipulative and drug-seeking, set boundaries and stick with them. Questions to ask:

    • Does the patient only ask for pain medications when you are in the room?

    • Do other observe different behaviors when you leave the room?

    • Is patient talking or resting comfortably?

    • Is patient allergic to every pain medication except the one he or she is requesting?