Acute Pain Nursing Care Plan

Disclaimer: This is a sample of acute pain nursing care plan and should be adapted to fit the specific needs of each patient. It is important to follow facility protocols and physician’s orders when providing pain management care.

Almost everyone feels pain at some point. Acute pain is a sharp or intense pain that can start suddenly or build up slowly. It might last for a few seconds or even up to six months. If it goes on for more than six months, it’s called chronic pain. Pain is highly subjective, meaning it varies greatly from person to person.

What is Acute Pain?

Acute pain is a sensory and emotional experience linked to actual or potential tissue damage. To fully understand the effects of pain, we need to grasp its pathophysiology. Acute pain happens when peripheral pain receptors, particularly A delta and C sensory nerve fibers, are activated due to tissue damage.

Signs and Symptoms of Acute Pain

What the patient feels:

Sharp or intense pain
Throbbing or aching
Trouble sleeping
Hard to concentrate
Feeling restless or anxious
Difficulty with daily activities
Feeling dizzy

What the nurse sees:

Faster pulse
Higher blood pressure
Grimacing face
Protecting the painful area
Irritability
Pale skin

Causes and At-Risk Groups

Acute pain can be caused by things like:

Surgery
Injuries
Inflammation
Infections
Medical conditions like heart attacks or broken bones

Pain Assessment Tools

To measure pain, nurses can use different tools, such as:

Brief Pain Inventory
Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale
FLACC Scale
Visual Analog Scale
PQRST Pain Assessment
Numerical Rating Scale
Indiana Polyclinic Combined Pain Scale

Nursing Diagnoses for Acute Pain

Common nursing diagnoses include:

Limited movement due to pain
Anxiety because of pain
Trouble sleeping because of pain
Difficulty coping with pain
Risk of falling due to pain

Goals and Expected Outcomes

Goal: The patient will report a decrease in pain level to a manageable level (e.g., 3/10 or less) on a pain scale within 4 hours of intervention.

Expected Outcomes:

The patient will verbalize the use of appropriate pain management strategies.
Vital signs will remain within normal limits for the patient.
The patient will demonstrate improved comfort and relaxation (e.g., relaxed facial expressions, decreased muscle tension).
The patient will be able to participate in activities of daily living (ADLs) to the extent possible.

Nursing Interventions for Acute Pain

Dependent:

Administer Pain Medications: Provide the prescribed pain relief medications.
Monitor Effectiveness: Check if the medication is working and watch for side effects.

Independent:

Positioning: Help the patient find comfortable positions to reduce pain.
Heat/Cold Therapy: Use heat or cold packs based on the pain source.
Relaxation Techniques: Guide the patient through deep breathing or guided imagery.
Distraction: Offer diversions like music or conversation to take their mind off the pain.
Patient Education: Teach the patient about pain management strategies and the proper use of medications.

Collaborative:

Develop a Pain Management Plan: Work with the doctor to create a personalized acute pain nursing care plan that includes medication and non-drug methods.
Coordinate Care: Collaborate with other healthcare professionals for comprehensive pain management.
Monitor Side Effects: While the doctor prescribes medication, monitor for side effects and work with the doctor to manage them.

Non-Drug Methods

Besides medication, methods like visualization exercises, heat or cold packs, and changing positions can help ease pain.

Medication for Pain

When other methods don’t work, medications like pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are used to manage pain.

Evaluation and Documentation

Continuously Assess Pain Levels: Use a pain scale to check the patient’s pain regularly.
Evaluate Interventions: See if the pain relief methods are working.
Document: Record all assessments, interventions, and patient responses in the medical record.
Modify Care Plan: Adjust the plan based on how the patient responds.