Pain’s handling and reported difficulties by nursing team at opioids drugs administration

Abstract

The study’s objectives were to identify the minimum intensity of self-reported pain that is necessary for nursing technicians and assistants to start  pharmacological analgesic therapy, whether these professionals evaluate  pain in the post-procedure period and what are the difficulties encountered in administering analgesics. This is a quantitative and exploratory study undertaken at a University Hospital in the North of Paraná. A hundred and eighty-eight nursing technicians and assistants took part in this research.  Results showed that 58,4% of the professionals administer analgesics when faced with a mild pain report, 39% in moderate pain and 2,6% in intense pain. 85% of these professionals evaluate pain after administering the analgesic.  Difficulties found in  analgesic administration refer to lack of prescription of analgesics (65%) and stock shortage in the pharmacy (19%). Fear of opioids addiction was reported by 76% of the participants. Results suggest that it is likely patients have received insufficient analgesics, which increases  patient’s suffering with pain.

Descriptors: Pain; Analgesia; Morphine; Nursing Care; Analgesics, Opioid.