Pain Assessment Essay Paper

Pain Assessment Essay Paper

Chronic pain is a public health concern affecting 20–30% of the population of Western countries. Although there have been many scientific advances in the understanding of the neurophysiology of pain, precisely assessing and diagnosing a patient’s chronic pain problem is not straightforward or well-defined. How chronic pain is conceptualized influences how pain is evaluated and the factors considered when making a chronic pain diagnosis. There is no one-to-one relationship between the amount or type of organic pathology and pain intensity, but instead, the chronic pain experience is shaped by a myriad of biomedical, psychosocial (e.g. patients’ beliefs, expectations, and mood), and behavioural factors (e.g. context, responses by significant others). Assessing each of these three domains through a comprehensive evaluation of the person with chronic pain is essential for treatment decisions and to facilitate optimal outcomes. Pain Assessment Essay Paper   This evaluation should include a thorough patient history and medical evaluation and a brief screening interview where the patient’s behaviour can be observed. Further assessment to address questions identified during the initial evaluation will guide decisions as to what additional assessments, if any, may be appropriate. Standardized self-reported instruments to evaluate the patient’s pain intensity, functional abilities, beliefs and expectations, and emotional distress are available, and can be administered by the physician, or a referral for in depth evaluation can be made to assist in treatment planning.Pain Assessment Essay Paper

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Pain Assessment: John, a 46-year-old African-American male presents for admission to your hospital for hemi-colectomy for colon polyps. He is complaining of chronic back pain. Patient is on disability from work related injury. History of two (2) previous back surgeries with relief of numbness in RLE but pain has not been relieved. His current medications include Methadone, Neurontin and Norco. John states he takes Benadryl PM every night in addition to his prescribed medications. John is a smoker and smokes 1 PPD. John confides in you that he is considering a spinal cord stimulator for the chronic pain.Pain Assessment Essay Paper

Pain Assessment questions

What risk factors does John have for risk of opioid withdrawal during this hospitalization?
Is there a stigma connected to being disabled and or methadone?
Does the nurse need to be concerned about acetaminophen use?
What are the differences in acute and chronic pain?  Pain Assessment Essay Paper