Patients perceptions of pain management after cardiac surgery in an Australian critical care unit

Yorke, J; McLean, B; Wallis, M

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate patients' perceptions of the effectiveness of a pain management regimen, which consisted of intermittent prn bolus doses of morphine, in a critical care unit after cardiac surgery.

Design

This was a escriptive and correlational study.

Setting

This study took place at the cardiothoracic intensive care unit of a major teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia.

Patients

The subjects were 102 patients who underwent cardiac surgical procedures. The mean age of the group was 61 years, and 24.5% were females and 75.5% were males.

Results

Analysis revealed that patients received limited total amounts of morphine during their critical care stay (mean = 26.7 mg; SD = 13.3; range: 0-68). All activities were associated with increased pain sensation. Patients requiring an internal mammary artery graft experienced increased pain despite receiving greater amounts of morphine. Elderly patients received less morphine and were refused pain killers more often than younger patients. Females found their overall pain experience to be less acceptable than did males. Less than half the participants always communicated their experience of pain to nurses.

Conclusion

Overall, the majority of participants were reasonably satisfied with their pain experience. However, the following areas need improvement: the assessment and management of pain in relation to gender and age differences and the type of graft/s used; the administration of morphine before activity; and the communication of pain experience by patients.

Citation

Yorke, J., McLean, B., & Wallis, M. (2004). Patients perceptions of pain management after cardiac surgery in an Australian critical care unit. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrtlng.2003.09.002

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2004
• Deposit Date: Aug 6, 2007
• Journal: Heart & Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care
• Print ISSN: 01479563
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 33-41
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrtlng.2003.09.002
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hrtlng.2003.09.002