Procedural pain – the patient’s perspective

Ms Felicia Cox,
Senior Nurse,
Pain Management Service,
Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust

Biography
Felicia is the Senior Nurse Pain Management and Lead Nurse Specialist for Critical Care at Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust.  She is the current Chair of the RCN London Pain Forum and Pain Network and a visiting university lecturer.  She has broad clinical and research interests with a strong focus on acute pain.  She is the current Editor of AfPP’s monthly Journal of Perioperative Practice.  From December 2009 she will co-edit the British Pain Society’s quarterly Reviews in Pain alongside Dr Mike Platt.  Her first book, Perioperative Pain Management was published in early 2009.

Abstract
The Royal Children’s Hospital (Melbourne, Australia) defines procedural pain as any medical intervention that may be potentially painful, or cause distress or anxiety.  We know that pain is a subjective experience and that it is a complex phenomenon resulting from our genetic phenotype, our individual prior experiences of pain and coping strategies that we have developed.  The majority of the published literature focuses on procedural pain in infancy and childhood rather than in adulthood.  However, in common with children, the average perioperative adult patient will be subjected to a number of potentially painful or distressing procedures such as cannulation and dressing changes.  It is likely that they will be inadequately informed about these procedures.

This presentation will explore the speaker’s personal experience of procedural pain associated with her treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia.  Although the emphasis will be placed on the evidence for analgesic interventions and strategies to minimise pain and distress, the role of information giving and complementary therapies will also be outlined.

References
ANZCA (2007) Acute Pain Management; The Scientific Evidence 2nd edn.  Updates. Available from http://www.anzca.edu.au/resources/books-and-publications/acutepain_update.pdf/view?searchterm=acute%20pain%20scientific%20evidence

Heer K, Coyne PJ, McCaffrey M et al on behalf of the ASPMN (undated) Pain Assessment in the Non-Verbal Patient. Position Statement with Clinical Practice Recommendations. Available from http://www.aspmn.org/.

Puntillo K, Wild LR, Morris AB et al (2002) Practices and Predictors of Analgesic Interventions for Adults Undergoing Painful Procedures. American Journal of Critical Care. 11, 415-429 

Contact Felicia Cox:  f.cox@rbht.nhs.uk