Management of surgical and procedural pain in a critical care setting

Critical care nurses can serve as pain management advocates so that those patients who undergo surgery and other procedures do not suffer needless pain. Research findings indicate that surgical and procedural pain can contribute to pathologic pain states related to nerve injury, tissue inflammation, and prolonged peripheral nociceptive input. Animal research findings support clinical practices that avoid the development of these conditions by effectively interrupting ongoing nociceptive input from the injured site. Knowledge of analgesic interventions, including pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic techniques, is essential to the professional practice of nursing the critically ill. The critical care nurse plays a pivotal role in preventing suffering, discomfort, and long-term negative consequences related to surgical and procedural pain.