N109: Foundations in Nursing Practice

N109: Foundations in Nursing Practice Study Guide

Chapter Two: Pain and Discomfort Learning Objectives 1. List and discuss the types of pain. 2. Discuss the characteristics of pain. 3. Discuss the physiology of pain. 4. Discuss the psychology of pain. 5. Describe the factors that influence pain perception and comfort. 6. Describe tools the nurse can use to assess pain. 7. Describe different approaches to pain management. 8. Describe comfort needs and therapeutic responses to the needs. 9. Discuss how therapeutic communication can enhance an individual’s comfort. 10. List and discuss barriers to therapeutic communication. 11. Describe tools the nurse can use to assess comfort/discomfort. 12. Using the nursing process, develop a plan of care related to pain and discomfort. Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, or the subjective interpretation, of the discomfort. Perception gives information on the pain’s location, intensity, and nature. The various conscious and unconscious responses to both sensation and perception, including the emotional response, add further definition to the overall concept of pain. The nurse must have a good understanding of pain, including the types and characteristics, as well as the physiology and psychology of pain. 2.1 Types of Discomfort and Pain Types of discomfort and pain include physical, psychological, social, and environmental. Examples of physical pain include pruritus, nausea, referred, and postoperative pain. Distress, anxiety, and an individual’s interpretation of pain would be categorized as psychological pain. If someone has a difficult time relating to others, that person may be experiencing social pain. Examples of environmental pain include room temperature extremes and noise level. Acute and Chronic Pain Another way to classify pain is to separate it into acute pain and chronic pain. Acute pain typically comes on suddenly and has a limited duration. It is frequently caused by damage to tissue, such as bone, muscle, or organs, and the onset is often accompanied by anxiety or emotional distress. Chronic pain lasts longer than acute pain and is generally somewhat resistant to medical treatment. It is usually associated with a long-term illness, such as osteoarthritis. In some cases, such as with fibromyalgia, it is one of the defining characteristics of the disease. Chronic pain can be the result of damaged tissue, but very often is attributable to nerve damage.

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