Sedation and Pain Management, Essay Example

Pain management in hospitalized patients requires an evidence-based strategy in order to be effective in treating patients with the goal to alleviate pain and improve quality of life. Patient safety is of critical importance for nurses who administer opioids and other medications to patients to minimize pain; therefore, continuous monitoring of patients for side effects and dosage requirements is essential. Patients must be evaluated prior to medication administration in order to minimize risks and improve outcomes for this population.

Patients with cancer and other diseases who require hospitalization for treatment experience varying degrees of pain that impact their health and wellbeing. Nurses must possess expert knowledge of the treatment options that are available for these patients and be prepared to administer medications in a timely manner to alleviate pain, based upon scheduled dosages and careful administration. At the same time, nurses must promote a culture of safety within the hospital setting in order to offer patients the most reasonable opportunity for survival and effective pain management.

• Topic: In the Capstone Evidence-based Clinical Project Part I assignment, the student identified the topic of the clinical issue. The topic is a clinical problem drawn from the four domains of the NCLEX-RN examination blueprint: assurance of a safe and effective care environment, health promotion and maintenance of health, and the preservation of the patient’s psychosocial and physiological integrity.  Drawing from the Capstone Evidence-based Clinical Project Part I assignment the student will clearly introduce the topic in two to three paragraphs.

Importance

Pain management for patients who are hospitalized for cancer, for example, require a safe, evidence-based strategy that is likely to have a positive impact on alleviating pain in an effective manner. Therefore, it is important to use evidence-based interventions in order to ensure that patients are treated safely and are able to respond to opioids and other medications as needed without significant complications or side effects.

Importance:  In the Capstone Evidence-based Clinical Project Part I assignment, the student briefly explained the importance of the clinical problem to the health of the patient population. In this paper, the student should expound on that discussion and provide additional details (PLEASE BE MORE SPECIFIC).

Patient Population

Patients with significant pain from cancer or other conditions require pain management techniques in the hospital setting. Therefore, any barriers to treatment must be identified and nurses must provide support by recognizing the cultural needs and expectations of each patient. Furthermore, ethical protections for each patient must be optimized; therefore, careful monitoring of medication administration, particularly opioids, is required.

• Patient Population: In the Capstone Evidence-based Clinical Project Part I assignment, the student described the patient population that is impacted by the clinical problem. In this paper the student should expand on that description by also:
• Summarizing the diversity of the human condition found within the patient population.
• Identifying the influence that cultural values may have on the plan for addressing the clinical issue in this patient population.

Expanding on the ethical considerations of the patient population.

Proposed Solution

For patients who require pain management during hospitalization, prior evidence-based solutions such as Translating Research Into Practice (TRIP) (Herr et.al, 2012), as-needed range orders (Drew et.al, 2014), and prior recommendations to treat patients with cancer pain and other types of pain (Herr et.al, 2012; Barr et.al, 2013). Developing a multidisciplinary approach requires an examination of key principles to ensure that patient care and treatment are optimal and appropriate to facilitate effective outcomes for patients. These techniques require nurses to openly communicate and share knowledge regarding medication administration in the desired manner.

Proposed Solution:  

• In the Capstone Evidence-based Clinical Project Part I assignment, the student set the stage for proposing the best solution to the clinical problem by using appropriate evidence-based data and integrating data from peer-reviewed journal articles. In this paper, the student will propose a clear solution to the clinical problem that is supported by a minimum of four scholarly, peerreviewed journal articles.

Plan for the Implementation of the Project and Proposed Timeline

Goals

The primary objective over the short-term is to develop a strategy to address medication administration to improve and monitor pain management for hospitalized patients. The long-term strategy is to ensure that patient safety is optimized and risks are minimized with respect to medication needs and expectations.

Barriers

Resistance from the nursing team may be evident, which may disrupt the potential progress of the intervention. In addition, it is possible that the safety of the intervention may be questioned and may impact patient care in some ways. Therefore, active communication regarding the strategy must be in place in order to ensure that patient safety is not compromised. There Is Only 1 Barrier, What Is the 2nd Anticipated Barrier and Plans for Addressing Them?

Benefits

Patients will benefit from pain management techniques that are carefully addressed and monitored on a regular basis, while nurses will gain valuable experience in treating patients with a strategic approach to pain management.

Timeline

The proposed project will take place over a six-month period in order to develop and implement the chosen strategy, while also monitoring its effectiveness and overall progress.

• Timeline: The student will provide details, including the timeline, of the major steps to be taken for implementation of the clinical project. PLEASE BE MORE DESCRIPTIVE

Participants and Interdisciplinary Approach

Participants for the proposed project will include two physicians who are experts in pain management and analgesia in order to provide knowledge and examples of effective techniques in this area; in addition, an anesthesiologist will provide expertise regarding the identification of side effects as a result of these techniques.

Implemented Solutions

The proposed solutions will include communication across a multidisplinary environment to improve pain management for patients; patient monitoring will improve and become second nature for nurses; and dosage methods will become standardized with respect to the recognition of patient needs and symptoms.  PLEASE EXPAND, TOO BRIEF

Implemented Solutions

• In the Capstone Evidence-based Clinical Project Part I assignment, the student provided an overview of three or more solutions to the clinical problem found in the literature. In this paper the student will expand further upon the original solutions cited and evaluate the success of each one. The solutions and evaluation of those solutions will be supported by a minimum of five scholarly resources.

Conclusion

The proposed project requires an understanding of the need for and impact of pain management for patients. This is a critical need within the hospital setting for patients with cancer and other conditions; therefore, nurses must work as a team in order to effectively manage this process and to minimize risk for patients, as well as side effects. Careful monitoring is required in order to ensure that patient safety is not compromised and they receive optimal care and treatment on a continuous basis.

References

Barr, J., Fraser, G. L., Puntillo, K., Ely, E. W., Gélinas, C., Dasta, J. F., … & Jaeschke, R. (2013).

Clinical practice guidelines for the management of pain, agitation, and delirium in adult patients in the intensive care unit: Executive summary. Am J Health Syst Pharm, 70(1), 53-58.

Drew, D., Gordon, D., Renner, L., Morgan, B., Swensen, H., & Manworren, R. (2014). The Use

of “As-Needed” Range Orders for Opioid Analgesics in the Management of Pain:: A Consensus Statement of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses and the American Pain Society. Pain Management Nursing, 15(2), 551-554.

Herr, K., Titler, M., Fine, P. G., Sanders, S., Cavanaugh, J. E., Swegle, J., … & Forcucci, C.

(2012). The Effect of a Translating Research into Practice (TRIP)?Cancer Intervention on Cancer Pain Management in Older Adults in Hospice. Pain Medicine, 13(8), 1004-1017.