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Patient preferences regarding pain medication in the ED
T L Beel1, J C Mitchiner, S M Frederiksen
1Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0995, USA. tbeel@umich.edu
The American Journal of Emergency Medicine
|August 5, 2000
Summary
Most emergency department (ED) patients with acute fractures desire pain medication, with 88% wanting it administered during their visit. Despite this, only 77% received analgesia, highlighting a gap in pain management.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Pain Management
- Clinical Practice
Background:
- Inadequate pain control is a persistent issue in emergency departments (EDs).
- Acute fractures are a common cause of severe pain presenting to the ED.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the proportion of emergency department patients with acute fractures who desired pain medication during their ED visit.
- To assess patient preferences regarding pain management, including timing, administration, and sedation levels.
Main Methods:
- A survey was conducted with 107 adult patients presenting to a community hospital ED with acute long-bone fractures.
- Data collected included pain levels, desired pain relief, and preferences for analgesia administration and sedation.
Main Results:
- 88% of patients with acute fractures wanted pain medication administered in the ED.
- 77% of these patients actually received pain medication.
- 69% were comfortable with nurses administering pain medication prior to physician evaluation.
- 70% preferred pain control without sedation, while 25% desired complete relief even if sedation was required.
Conclusions:
- A significant majority of ED patients with acute fractures desire pain medication during their visit.
- There is a discrepancy between patient desire for pain medication and actual receipt of analgesia in the ED.
- Patient preferences vary regarding sedation, with most preferring to avoid it unless necessary for complete pain relief.