Using nitrous oxide and oxygen to control pain in primary care

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Pain Management
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Nurses possess expertise to enhance patient care through improved pain control.
• Short, painful procedures necessitate safe and effective pain relief methods.
• Community patients often undergo extremely painful procedures requiring adequate analgesia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the successful introduction of an inhaled analgesic (50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen) in a community setting.
• To highlight the role of nurses in implementing effective pain management strategies.
• To demonstrate the benefits of collaborative work between hospital and community nursing teams.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen as an inhaled analgesic.
• Implemented the analgesic for short, potentially painful procedures in the community.
• Fostered collaborative working relationships between acute pain nurses and community nurses.

Main Results:

• The inhaled analgesic was successfully introduced throughout a primary care trust (PCT).
• Collaboration between hospital and community nurses facilitated the implementation.
• The safe and effective method provided significant pain relief for patients.

Conclusions:

• Inhaled analgesia (50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen) is a viable and effective option for pain management in community settings.
• Interprofessional collaboration is crucial for the successful implementation of new pain relief strategies.
• Nurses play a vital role in improving the quality of patient care through expert pain management.