The Postoperative Pain Assessment and Treatment in Recovery Room, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital

Abstract

          Background: Postoperative pain remains a common problem especially in recovery room at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital. The guidelines for evaluating the degree of pain and appropriate treatment of pain has been extensively developed. Aim: To evaluate the postoperative pain assessment and treatment in recovery room at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital. Patients & Methods: This retrospective descriptive study of medical records was done during July 2008-December 2008 among postoperative patients in recovery room, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital. These data were focused on postoperative pain assessment and treatment and they would be presented in frequency and percentage. Results: One thousand two hundred and thirty three patients were studied. The majority were female, ASA class 1-2, surgical time < 2 hours and general anesthesia. After the implementation of the postoperative pain assessment and treatment guideline, 76.7 percent of these patients were evaluated. In the first month of the implementation, 58.3 percent of the patients had no record of the assessment and in the next months the figure was decreased to 48.0, 16.7, 8.0, 5.0 and 4.5 percent, consecutively. The numbers of the patients who were assessed before being sent back to their medical ward were 22.5 percent in the first month and then 40.2, 75.5, 87.0, 90.0 and 88.4 percent in each successive month, average 67.9 percent. Conclusion: After the use of the postoperative pain assessment and treatment guideline in recovery room, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, only 76.7 percent of the patients were assessed and 67.9 percent of the patients were assessed before being sent back to their medical wards but the trend of the use of this guideline was increasing