Severe pain during wound care procedures: A cross-sectional study protocol

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Pain Management
• Wound Care

Background:

• Wound care procedures (WCPs) cause significant pain in 74% of patients.
• Severe pain (8-10/10) affects 36% of patients during dressing changes.
• Current guidelines lack direction for pain control during WCPs.

Purpose of the Study:

• Develop a predictive model for severe pain during WCPs.
• Identify biological factors associated with severe WCP pain.
• Facilitate targeted pain management and novel treatment strategies.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study design.
• Adult participants (21+) with non-burn, non-diabetic foot, full-thickness wounds.
• One-time study dressing change and data collection.

Main Results:

• A predictive model for severe pain during WCPs will be developed.
• Biological factors linked to severe WCP pain will be identified.

Conclusions:

• The study will yield a tool for clinicians to predict severe pain during WCPs.
• Biological correlates of severe WCP pain will be elucidated.
• This research supports improved pain control strategies for wound care.