pain assessment and reassessments

[heaverboo]

As all of you may know we're constantly medicating for pain on the floor, every 3 to 4 hrs lortab, percocet etc...I'm good about documenting the pain rating on the 1-10 scale and my interventions for the pain but I'm not so good about remembering to document my pain reassessment? I may be talking to the patient and ask them but forget to document in the computer? :uhoh21: And I forget to do my pain assessment every 4 hrs....

And as far as lortab and percocet...what's the big difference and which is better for pain? I'm still trying to figure the 2 out....

[nurseaboveboard]

Oh yeah!!! We even have "secret sleuths" or some stupid thing like that, where we're supposed to "sign up" for a period of time, following our co-workers in secret to make sure they DO IT and DOCUMENT IT!!! Guess what? I neglected to sign up. How do they dream up this stuff???

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

One thing I found is including the patient and family in the assessment.

"Call me at 4 o'clock (hour after med) and tell me how well it worked". -not IF it worked

When they call you, go see them and then tell them when they can have the next dose and tell them to call you, and if you aren't there in 15 minutes because you are tied up to remind you in 10 minutes. Tell them not to just HOPE you come. REMIND you to come.

http://www.drugs.com/

Lortab

Generic Name: acetaminophen and hydrocodone

Percocet

Generic Name: acetaminophen and oxycodone

IMHO oxy is stronger but has more adverse effects n&v etc

Percocet and Tylox are almost the same save the amount of acetaminophen (APAP)

But then I do fine on one Tyenol #3 or 2 Darvocets for most post op pain.