I work in an ICU and note that there are several MDs and RNs who have no
concept of pain control. With all the focus that there is on patient's b
rights and the right to have pain controlled, it seems odd that nurses, of
all people, would not have a good grasp on the need to pain control.
Recently, I had a post op thoracic vertebrae patient who had orders for MSo4
5 mg Q 2 Hr. This patient had a long back problem history, and had been on
Morphine PO with Lortab for breakthrough pain at home for several years. Go
figure...she asked for her pain medicine Q 2 Hr and rated her pain at 9-10/10
on the pain scale. When I gave report to the oncoming Day Shift RN, the
first words out of her mouth were that the patient was getting too much pain
medication, and that she wasn't about to be running to the bedside with MSO4
every time she turned around. She didn't lie. When I returned that night, I
discovered the patient writhing in bed and trying to pull out every line she
had. I started her back on the Q2 Hr routine and she calmed down for the
whole night. When I asked the nurse why she didn't give pain medication, she
quipped that such a thing was her call and that she had seen patients stay
much too long in ICU if they were given so much pain medication. I'm telling
you, if I have a major surgery, and the nurse refuses to medicate me for
pain, just shoot the nurse...Okay.



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