Is patient controlled analgesia a feasible method of pain relief in the emergency department? Insights from interviews with emergency clinicians
Tracks
Concurrent Stream 2
| Thursday, October 17, 2024 |
| 2:10 PM - 2:30 PM |
| Tuscan Room |
Overview
Natasya Raja Azlan
Speaker
Dr Natasya Raja Azlan
Lecturer
Edith Cowan University
Is patient controlled analgesia a feasible method of pain relief in the emergency department? Insights from interviews with emergency clinicians
2:10 PM - 2:30 PMAbstract
Background/Introduction:
Pain is the most common reason that patients present to emergency departments (ED), yet pain management in ED is often suboptimal. Intravenous patient controlled analgesia (PCA) is a method of pain management that enables patients to self-administer pre-determined doses of strong analgesia. Although PCA is commonly used for post operative pain relief, it is not routinely used in the ED. Investigating the feasibility of PCA use in the ED is crucial to gain insights into using this modality of pain management within a new clinical context.
Aim/Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to explore healthcare professionals’ perceptions of the feasibility of PCA use in the ED and establish the factors that may facilitate implementation of PCA in the ED.
Methods/Intervention/Activity:
Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of ED clinicians from nursing, medicine, pharmacy, and the Acute Pain Service in one public ED and one private ED in Perth, Western Australia. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data.
Results/Outcome:
Five themes emerged: (1) suitability of PCA and choosing the right patient, (2) time factors, (3) safety concerns and side effects, (4) anticipating the patient’s perspective (staff perception), and (5) facilitating PCA use in ED. The findings highlight the widely varied views regarding the perceived barriers and facilitators of PCA use in the ED.
Conclusion/Recommendations:
The insights from this study demonstrated the diversity and complexity of perceptions about PCA use in the ED. Subsequently, the findings guided the development of surveys exploring the feasibility of PCA use in ED, facilitating future research into this new modality of pain management in the ED.
Pain is the most common reason that patients present to emergency departments (ED), yet pain management in ED is often suboptimal. Intravenous patient controlled analgesia (PCA) is a method of pain management that enables patients to self-administer pre-determined doses of strong analgesia. Although PCA is commonly used for post operative pain relief, it is not routinely used in the ED. Investigating the feasibility of PCA use in the ED is crucial to gain insights into using this modality of pain management within a new clinical context.
Aim/Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to explore healthcare professionals’ perceptions of the feasibility of PCA use in the ED and establish the factors that may facilitate implementation of PCA in the ED.
Methods/Intervention/Activity:
Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of ED clinicians from nursing, medicine, pharmacy, and the Acute Pain Service in one public ED and one private ED in Perth, Western Australia. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data.
Results/Outcome:
Five themes emerged: (1) suitability of PCA and choosing the right patient, (2) time factors, (3) safety concerns and side effects, (4) anticipating the patient’s perspective (staff perception), and (5) facilitating PCA use in ED. The findings highlight the widely varied views regarding the perceived barriers and facilitators of PCA use in the ED.
Conclusion/Recommendations:
The insights from this study demonstrated the diversity and complexity of perceptions about PCA use in the ED. Subsequently, the findings guided the development of surveys exploring the feasibility of PCA use in ED, facilitating future research into this new modality of pain management in the ED.
Biography
Tash is a lecturer and nurse with a diverse background in various nursing specialties. Her experience spans across the Emergency Department, Quality and Risk Department, and the Acute Pain Service. Tash offers a unique perspective informed by both clinical and educational expertise, ranging from critical care education to clinical research.
