Pain Assessment, Management & Sleep – Lecture Review

These flashcards review key lecture points on pain types, assessment tools, management strategies, sleep importance, and effects of sleep deprivation.

What defines acute pain?

Pain that lasts seconds to less than 6 months.

How is chronic pain defined?

Pain lasting 6 months or longer, which may be intermittent or continuous.

What is nociceptive pain and give two examples.

Pain caused by damage to body tissues such as bones, muscles, or organs; examples include back pain from tissue injury and pain from a surgical incision.

What is neuropathic pain and give two examples.

Pain resulting from nerve damage or dysfunction; examples include sciatic pain and phantom limb pain.

Describe cancer pain.

A pain category that includes tumor pain, bone pain, and treatment-associated pains such as chronic post-surgical pain.

In the PQRST mnemonic for pain assessment, what does each letter stand for?

P – Precipitating cause; Q – Quality; R – Region/Radiation; S – Severity; T – Timing.

For which patients is the CRIES pain scale appropriate?

Neonates (≥38 weeks gestation), post-operative infants, and cognitively impaired clients.

What five behaviors does the CRIES scale measure?

Crying, Requires oxygen, Increased vital signs, Expression, Sleeplessness.

Which age or client group is assessed with the FLACC pain scale?

Children aged 2 months to 7 years and cognitively disabled clients.

What does FLACC stand for?

Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability.

Who is the NVPS pain scale designed for?

Clients unable to verbalize pain, such as those who are sedated, ventilated, or in critical care; originally for burn patients.

List four common physiological signs of pain.

Changes in vital signs, muscle tension, pallor, and nausea/vomiting.

Give non-verbal indicators of pain.

• altered or hesitant movement.

• dialted pupils

• Vital signs initially showing an elevation in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration

• Muscle tension or rigidity

• Pallor

• When pain becomes more severe, there is a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate

• Nausea and vomiting

• Fainting

• Withdrawal to pain

• Grimacing

• Restlessness

• Guarding the area of pain

How should pain levels be prioritized in care?

Severe pain (8–10) is addressed first, followed by moderate pain (4–7).

Name five non-pharmacological comfort measures for pain management.

Positioning, heat or cold therapy, massage, distraction techniques, and acupuncture.

Provide three opioid medications commonly used for pain control.

Morphine, oxycodone, and hydromorphone.

Give two examples of non-opioid analgesics.

Acetaminophen and NSAIDs.

Why is adequate sleep essential for health?

It supports healing, prevents chronic conditions, and aids memory consolidation.

Identify four chronic conditions linked to inadequate sleep.

Depression, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.

How does sleep contribute to memory?

It transfers memories from short-term to long-term storage.

State four strategies to promote better sleep.

Avoid stimulants before bed, establish a consistent bedtime routine, limit daytime naps, and keep the bedroom dark and quiet.

List five cognitive or physical effects of sleep deprivation.

Impaired judgment, slower response time, increased seizure or migraine risk, mood swings, and reduced capacity for higher-order cognitive tasks.

When using behavioral sleep strategies, what should you do if you cannot fall asleep within 20 minutes?

Get out of bed, engage in a quiet activity, and return only when sleepy.

How long before bedtime should vigorous exercise be completed to avoid disrupting sleep?

At least 3 hours before going to bed.

What is visceral pain?

a type of Nociceptive pain occurring in the internal organs and referring to other locations of the body

What is somatic pain?

a type of Nociceptive with pain occurring in the skin, bones, joints, muscles, or connective tissues),

What is cutaneous pain?

a type of Nociceptive with pain occurring in the skin or subcutaneous tissue

What are subjective signs of pain?

• Grimacing,

• Guarding,

• Facial expressions

• Altered movement, hesitation in movement

• Gasping