February 2012 Article

The month of February is considered Pain Appreciation Month at CTCA-Midwestern.  Long considered the fifth vital sign, pain in too many cases is under reported and under treated.

The following article is Pain Management 101, hope you enjoy it and that it will enrich your own practice.
http://www.cancer-pain.org/treatments/treatments.html

Questions

1)  A patient has been prescribed Hydrocodone /Acetaminophen 10/325,
     one to two tabs every four hours as needed for moderate to severe 4-7/10
     pain, what teaching would you do regarding this medication?
   
     What is the 24 hour maximum dose of Acetaminophen for a patient
     with liver metastasis or impaired liver function?

2)  A patient  newly diagnosed with stage IV Breast Cancer and
     bone metastasis has been prescribed Oxycodone, 5-10 mg
     every 2 hours as needed for pain.  Her husband comments,
    " I don't want my wife to turn into an addict."  How would you respond?

3)  Describe two Interventional Pain Procedures, and who performs
     them at our facility.

4)  Although not found in this reading, but considered by many to be the
     cornerstone of all pain management theory. Who is Margo McCaffery, and
     what is her often quoted phrase defining pain?

Just because we get and extra day for leap year this month, don't delay in 
sending your well thought out answers to:   melissaluebbe@comcast.net, or
inter-office speedy delivery to Melissa Luebbe c/o Pain Management Department.  Blogging in the comment box is not mandatory, but does make me smile!