Risk Assessment (Pain)
The aim of this essay is to examine a specific risk assessment tool. The author will define the term 'risk' and discuss the importance of identifying and selecting an assessment tool to prevent or minimise the risk. The verbal rating score assessment tool for pain will be the focus of the essay, however, alternative assessment tools will be looked at for comparison and effectiveness. Pain is not classified as a risk, however, uncontrolled pain can cause several risks to the health of an individual and hinder recovery from illness or surgery. These risks will be identified during the author's analysis and evaluation of the care of a surgical patient. Finally the author will offer a conclusion about the effectiveness of pain control and assessment.A registered nurse needs to act to identify and then minimise the risk to patient and clients, (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2002). Risk identification is defined by Anderson (1998) as analysis of potential risk factors, determination of health risks and prioritisation of risk reduction strategies for an individual group. Watson (2002) describes risk assessment to be a hazard, or chance of developing a disease or of complications during or after treatment. Risk is also defined a
Indications are that nursing staff expect patients to have some pain following surgery and a numerical rating score that is unacceptable to one member of staff may be acceptable to another. To ensure that patients do not receive unsafe levels of the analgesia, the device contains a lock out system which prevents further release of the drug until it is safe to do so (Thomas 1996). The London Hospital Pain Assessment tool developed by Jennifer Raiman in the 1970s appears to be time consuming to implement as the initial assessment involves showing the patient a body diagram, the patient marks all his or her pains on the diagram and each is then labelled with a letter (A,B,C etc). Kline, Hudson and Kim (2001) indicates that a person experiencing pain may have mood swings, become depressed or anxious, blood pressure may be raised, the heart rate can increase, body temperature could rise and rapid breathing may occur. The theme that appears to underpin all NHS documents is the desire to provide quality care for all. He was commenced on 60mls of water orally hourly. ' He further indicated that he was not prepared to commence the soft diet because he did not feel like eating and was afraid that food may increase his discomfort. The administration of a continuous weak solution of opioids and local anaesthetic via this route blocks nerves as they enter the spinal cord and is an effective method of pain relief (Carroll and Bowsher, 1996). If the score is 7 or above, the rate of infusion may be increased and the patient is monitored more frequently in the first hour for adverse reactions to the increase in opioids and the effectiveness of the increase on pain reduction. Carroll and Bowsher (1998) would appear to agree that the visual analogue scale is a popular and useful pain measurement tool, although indicate that there is controversy over the design of the scale, e. There has been vast improvement in the pre-registration curriculum since the publication of documents identified in this essay. A numerical rating is given for each site of pain on each observation taken thereafter, the numerical scale is 0 to 5 and a full interpretation of the meaning of each score is clearly given on the chart. Alternative pain assessment tools were looked at by the author. Maybe this is due to the fact that the regular staff on the ward are familiar with each surgical procedure and have expectations of how the patient should be feeling at each stage of recovery. Alexander, Fawcett and Runcimann, (2000) indicate that a patients pain should be controlled before they leave the recovery room.
Common topics in this essay:
James MacLeod,
Carroll Bowsher,
Midwifery Council,
College Surgeons,
Clinical Excellence,
,
McCaffery Passero,
Hudson Kim,
Contained Difference,
Koh Thomas,
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post operative,
rating score,
pain management,
numerical rating,
numerical rating score,
pain relief,
assessment tool pain,
tool pain,
operative pain,
verbal numerical,
pain assessment,
post operative pain,
rating score assessment,
verbal numerical rating,
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