What do most docs do for post op ortho pain? I was talking with a friend of mine about one of the docs that is popular in our area and his pain control methods. He is a real jerk, #1, but that wouldn't bother anyone that much if he at least pretended to care about his pts. My sis had this doc about a year ago for a broken tib/fib and we had MAJOR problems, but I won't go into all that. I'll tell you what he does for ALL of his pts, be it tib/fib fx or femur, or whatever.
1. PO percs and meprigane for at home pain prior to surgery or after set, cast, whatever.
2. After surgery he gives 50-100 mg demerol, and 25 of phenergan q3-4 hours.
3. po percs and meprigane after surgery
No variations, no trying other things if this doesn't work.
Thats it, and his pts are suffering horrible from what my friend tells me. Screaming throughout the first 12 hours post op. When she calls to tell him pain is not relieved he says "well, I guess he/she will just have a bad night". That is the EXACT phrase he used on my sis when she was post op in his care, so I believe her when she says that is what he says. Needless to say my sis got some relief, but only because I was there and pushed them (really hard) and got her something different. After she was all healed up, this doc said "now your sister can play doctor on you like she has been wanting to the whole time" JERK
Anyway, sorry went on a tangent there, lol. To continue.
I don't do ortho, and probably never would by my friend loves it and is very concerned about this, she says no one will listen to her about it (shes the new kid on the block) and that the other nurses tell her thats how he always has done things and nothing is gonna change.
I applaud my friend for wanting to do something about her pts suffering but I don't know what to tell her to do. Any suggestions?
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