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Patient-controlled analgesia: optimizing the experience

J A Ellis1, R Blouin, J Lockett

  • 1University of Ottawa.

Clinical Nursing Research
|July 11, 2000
PubMed

Insights

A patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) program for children aged 7+ proved safe and effective for most patients. Optimizing PCA use involved analyzing failed attempts, analgesic intake, and pain scores to improve pain management.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Pain Management
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Establishing a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) program for pediatric surgical patients aged 7 years and older.
  • Primary objectives focused on ensuring the safety and efficacy of the PCA program.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a newly implemented PCA program in pediatric surgical patients.
  • To identify factors influencing pain control in patients experiencing inadequate analgesia.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective evaluation of the first 30 patients enrolled in the PCA program.
  • Chart review of patients with poorly controlled pain to analyze administration attempts, analgesic intake, and pain scores.

Main Results:

  • The PCA program was found to be safe and effective for the majority of patients.
  • Four patients experienced inadequate pain control, highlighting areas for program improvement.
  • Analysis revealed a correlation between failed administration attempts, total hourly analgesic intake, and pain intensity scores.

Conclusions:

  • The PCA program is a safe and effective method for pain management in pediatric surgical patients.
  • Optimizing PCA requires careful monitoring of analgesic delivery and patient-reported pain.
  • Recommendations for program enhancement were developed based on patient data to improve pain management outcomes.

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