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Pain Measurement and Pain Management in the Intensive Care Unit(ICU)

Completed
Conditions
Critically Ill Patients
Interventions
Other: A Pain training program and pain measurement
Registration Number
NCT00773045
Lead Sponsor
St. Antonius Hospital
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a pain training program and systematic measurement of pain scores on actual pain levels and the use of analgesics in critically ill patients.

Detailed Description

Systematic evaluation of pain, though still not common practice in all ICUs, is recommended in clinical practice guidelines for optimal pain management. Pain is a frequently experienced problem in patients in the Intensive Care Unit(ICU). In search of literature to support the need for introduction of a pain management system and to train the entire health staff in our department little information was found concerning the effects of pain training and pain management systems in the ICU. The small number of available studies may be explained by the difficulty of systematic pain measurement in ICU patients, mainly due to the inability to communicate effectively with these patients.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
190
Inclusion Criteria
  • All patients admitted to the ICU of the St. Antonius hospital, >18 years old.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Patients who are suspected to be brain-dead

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
pain training programA Pain training program and pain measurementICU Patients treated with or without pain management protocol
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Pain scores using the numerical rating scale, rated by the attending nurse and by the patient if possible.3 times a day
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
PneumoniaICU stay
Dose of all pain medication (morphine, paracetamol) per patient24 hr
30 day Mortalitywithin 30 days
Length of stay in the ICUICU stay
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