Pain management and Quietness

[NAM123]

Hello everyone,

I am working at a hospital where there are 4 patients in one room, between each patient there is a curtain to provide privacy. My question to everyone is what is something yall do on your floor to promote quietness during both of the shifts and some policy or intervention your do for pain management.

Our floor conducted these things for quietness already:

1) quiet time for 2 hrs (we dim the lights in the hall way

2) have that signal light by the nurses station to monitor the noise level

Pain management:

1) give pain medication and reassess after 1 hr

2) write on the board when is the next pain medication is due.

Is there anything else anyone can think of? Any idea? Please help.

[lmccrn62, MSN, RN]

For noise - you can offer ear plugs and consider headphones for the TVs

Pain- consider pain goals and providing patients on what an effective pain goal is.

[NAM123]

Thank you for your respond however, we are already doing that too. any other ideas?

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

When I was in the hospital the worst was when I would be sound asleep and my room mate hit the call light then instead of coming into the room someone would call through the intercom, "What do you need?" It was so loud and I'd jump a mile high and be wide awake every time it happened.

Also, since there are 4 patients in each room limiting visitor numbers and hour is important for rest.

For pain, remember to consider non pharmacological methods- heat, cold, position changes. Our volunteers provide CD players and relaxing music CD's that a lot of people find helpful. We also have a program where massage students come give massages to patients.