Pain Management of Intensive Care Unit Patients

Pain Management of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Patients. An Intervention Study to Evaluate the Effect of Systematic Pain Management of Various Groups of ICU Patients.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of an algorithm, where ICU patients pain are assessed systematically with valid pain assessment tools and where pain is treated after pain intensity score.

As a pre-test, before the intervention is introduced, data from ICU patients from four intensive care units (ICU) will be collected from medical records to evaluate current pain management practices. An algorithm, which is developed by a group of resource persons, is educated to the staff in three of the ICUs. The staff will also receive training and guiding in the use of the algorithm and the different pain assessment tools. Then the algorithm will be implemented and used in all the consecutive ICU patients. Post-test data is then collected in the three ICUs. In the fourth ICU, which will be used as a comparison unit, the same post-test data will be collected at the same time as data in intervention ICUs were collected. The algorithm will not be introduced here.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All consecutive patients admitted into these four ICUs

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients will be excluded if they are not able to express pain behaviors (i.e. quadriplegic, are receiving neuromuscular blockade or muscle paralyzing drugs or are being investigated for brain death.