Pain Assessment and Pain Management in Comatose Patients after Craniotomy: A Case Study

Authors

  • Supornpan - Kitbunyonglers โรงพยาบาลวชิระภูเก็ต
  • wongchan pachpichain

Keywords:

pain assessment, pain management, craniotomy, comatose patients, advanced practice nurses

Abstract

The intensity of pain during the frst 48 hours after craniotomy may range from
moderate to severe. Relief of suffering and reduction of possibly ensuing complications
require effective pain assessment and management. This case study demonstrates roles
of advanced practice nurses in assessing and managing pain in comatose patients after
craniotomy. The patients’ pain was assessed through observation of the patients’ behaviours
and physiological changes and recorded on the Nociception Coma Scale (NCS). Pain
management was performed based on reliable, up-to-date, appropriate, and interdisciplinarily
recognised empirical evidence. The principle underlying this method was to achieve a
balance between the patients’ ability to respond to neurological assessment and the quantity
of analgesics that would not affect the patients’ response. In addition, non-pharmacological
pain management methods, for example, positioning, environmental arrangement, and
careful performance of pain-inducing medical procedure, were found to increase pain
management effcacy in this group of patients.

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Published

2018-09-27

How to Cite

1.
Kitbunyonglers S-, pachpichain wongchan. Pain Assessment and Pain Management in Comatose Patients after Craniotomy: A Case Study. J Thai Nurse midwife Counc [Internet]. 2018 Sep. 27 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];33(3):20-35. Available from: https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/TJONC/article/view/123019