Pain: advances and issues in critical care

The milieu of the critical care unit is stressful for both the patient and health care professionals. As such, it has the potential to increase pain perception in patients, and decrease the nurse's awareness of pain relief needs of the patient. Several physical and pharmacologic methods of pain relief were discussed in this article. Nontechnologic analgesia such as hypnosis and relaxation were introduced as adjuncts or alternatives to more familiar methods of pain relief. Although critically ill patients are not always able to express their discomfort, it is the responsibility of the nurse to recognize the potential for pain, and plan treatment accordingly. This article suggests several strategies for dealing with pain in critically ill patients.