PATTERNS OF PATIENT-CONTROLLED ANALGESIA AND INTRAMUSCULAR ANALGESIA

Effective management of acute pain is a major nursing goal. The purpos e of this study was to identify patient patterns in intravenous patien t-controlled analgesia (PCA) and intramuscular (IM) analgesia for pati ents after surgery. The patients who received analgesia via PCA had sh orter lengths of stay. The morphine PCA patients used more medication than the IM group; the meperidine LM patients used more medication tha n the PCA patients. Patterns of the use of PCA and IM analgesia were i dentified. These provide additional information for the development of pain management protocols. (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company