Striking the balance between too much pain medicine and not enough can be tough for any nurse, let alone a brand new nurse. What throws a big wrench in everything is the fact that we, as a nation, are experiencing a very real and very devastating epidemic of opioid use and abuse. Bedside nurses feel the brunt of this due to many patients requesting sometimes very concerning amounts of intravenous pain medications at alarming intervals. Here are some tips from bedside nurses about pain management.
pain management
I’ll Never Forget Your Room Number or Your Pain
I don’t know what else to do. Here you are, lying in that hospital bed that you’ve been sitting in for five days now, totally aware of what is going on but unable to tell anyone what you’re thinking. You can’t move your right arm or leg. You can’t swallow so you cough on your […]
Nurses on the Front Lines: How Do You Handle Patients Addicted to Prescription Pain Killers?
Have you seen this video posted on KevinMD this month about drug seekers in the emergency department (ED)? Take a look at this 4:31 video made by an ED physician. Spoiler alert! If you love Taylor Swift, you will totes love this. Disclaimer: If you are someone who does not manipulate physicians and nurses to obtain […]