Pain Management in Nursing

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to pain management, definitions of pain, physiological aspects of pain, pain types, assessment techniques, and medication management in nursing.

Pain

An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.

Nociceptor

A sensory receptor neuron that responds to potentially damaging or harmful stimuli, initiating the sensation of pain.

A-Delta fibers

Fast-conducting nociceptor fibers associated with sharp, stinging pain sensation.

C fibers

Slower-conducting nociceptor fibers associated with diffuse, dull, burning, and aching pain.

Visceral pain

Pain in the internal organs, often deep, dull, and difficult to pinpoint.

Neuropathic pain

Pain caused by damage to or malfunction of the nervous system, often described as burning or shooting.

Acute pain

Pain with a limited duration, typically resulting from a specific cause.

Chronic pain

Persistent pain lasting more than six months, often without a specific cause.

Opioid intoxication

Significant behavioral or psychological changes that occur during or shortly after opioid use.

Naloxone

A medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdose.

COLDSPA

A mnemonic used in pain assessment that includes Character, Onset, Location, Duration, Severity, Pattern, and Associated factors.

PQRSTU

A framework for pain assessment focusing on Provocation, Quality, Region, Severity, Timing, and Understanding.

Pain Assessment

The process of evaluating pain using various scales and techniques to help manage patient care.

Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA)

A method allowing clients to control their own pain management by self-administering analgesics.

Adjuvant medications

Medications used in conjunction with primary analgesics to enhance pain relief.

Nonpharmacologic interventions

Techniques such as relaxation and distraction used to manage pain without medications.

Tolerance

A state in which a person's response to a drug decreases with continued use, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect.

Withdrawal symptoms

Physical symptoms experienced when reducing or stopping the use of a drug, often causing significant distress.