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Patients' perceptions and responses to procedural pain: results from Thunder Project II
K A Puntillo1, C White, A B Morris
1Critical Care/Trauma Graduate Nursing Program, University of California, San Francisco, Calif., USA.
Summary
Procedural pain in acute care settings is often underestimated and varies by procedure. More individualized pain management strategies are needed for patients undergoing common interventions.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Pain Management
- Patient Outcomes
Background:
- Pain associated with acute and critical care procedures is not well understood.
- Commonly performed procedures may cause significant patient discomfort.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify pain intensity and distress during specific procedures in acute and critical care.
- To assess the frequency of analgesic use during these procedures.
Main Methods:
- A comparative, descriptive study design was employed.
- Numeric rating scales measured pain intensity and procedural distress.
- Word lists assessed pain quality.
Main Results:
- Data from 6201 patients (pediatric and adult) were analyzed.
- Pain intensity varied significantly by procedure and age group, with turning and wound care reported as most painful.
- Adolescents reported higher pain and distress than adults for certain procedures.
Conclusions:
- Procedural pain is highly variable and procedure-specific.
- Frequent performance of these procedures necessitates improved, individualized pain management strategies.