Hospital managers are constantly looking for ways to reduce or contain health care costs in today's health climate. This project examined the effectiveness of the pain management service in decreasing length of stay in postoperative orthopedic patients. Pain management is essential to the post-operative care of this specialty. Inadequate pain management can adversely affect the hospitalization course and increase the length of stay for postoperative orthopedic patients. The Department of Heath and Human Resources, the American Pain Society, and the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Hospitals have provided statements and standards for pain management. The principal goal of the pain management service is to provide effective pain management with minimal side effects, reduce post-surgical complications, and decrease the length of stay. The sample that consisted of post-operative orthopedic patients was obtained from the Pain Management Service. Data for this project were collected by means of a chart review while the patients where hospitalized. The postoperative orthopedic patients with PCA had fewer complications, fewer side effects, and shorter lengths of stay than the postoperative patients who received intramuscular injections. The recommendation to the pain management service were: (a) incorporate the findings in the quality care protocol for surgical patients; (c) demonstrate the effectiveness of the PCA in pain management; and (d) incorporate case management services for postoperative orthopedic patients in order to ensure that services (i.e. rehabilitation) are initiated in a timely fashion.
OCLC:
(OCoLC)71817518
Locations:
PHAX277 -- Graceland University - Frederick Madison Smith Library (Lamoni)
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.