Nursing Care of the Client with Pain

Vocabulary flashcards covering pain definitions, scales, opioid and non-opioid pharmacology, side effects, and administration principles from Nursing 155.

Pain (McCaffery, 1999)

Whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever she/he says it does.

0-10 Numeric Pain Intensity Scale

A self-assessment scale where 0 represents no pain, 5 represents moderate pain, and 10 represents worst possible pain.

Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale

A pain rating tool using face illustrations ranging from 0 (NO HURT) to 10 (HURTS WORST), with intermediate ratings of 2 (HURTS LITTLE BIT), 4 (HURTS LITTLE MORE), 6 (HURTS EVEN MORE), and 8 (HURTS WHOLE LOT).

Acetaminophen Toxicity

Adverse potential of acetaminophen involving liver and renal toxicity.

Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) Age Restriction

A non-opioid analgesic contraindicated for children under the age of 12.

NSAID Side Effects

Gastrointestinal (GI) side effects associated with drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and meloxicam.

Opioid Analgesic Side Effects

Adverse effects of opioid administration including respiratory depression, nausea and vomiting, constipation, pruritus, and urinary retention.

Meperidine

An opioid analgesic used in the presence of postoperative shivering.

Hydromorphone

An opioid used primarily via IV due to a lack of controlled release formulations.

Fentanyl Transdermal Patch

A transdermal opioid available in patch sizes of 12, 5, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mcg with a duration of action of 72 hours.

MS Contin and OxyContin Handling

Long-acting oral opioid formulations that should not be crushed, cut, or chewed.

Naloxone

A agent administered incrementally for oversedation or life-threatening respiratory depression to improve respiratory function without reversing all analgesia.

Tolerance

The need for increasing doses of opioids to achieve the same therapeutic effect, which is an expected and normal consequence of opioids.

Addiction

A behavioral pattern of substance use characterized by a compulsion to take the substance, which occurs very rarely.

Adjuvant Analgesics

Co-analgesic medications such as antidepressants (Amitriptyline) and anticonvulsants or antiepileptics (Gabapentin).

Codeine

An opioid used for moderate pain associated with side effects of dysphoria, nausea, and constipation.

Barriers to Pain Control

Systemic and personal factors including inadequate assessment, inadequate pain reporting, reluctance to take or prescribe opioids, nurse reluctance, and excessive regulation.