Two hundred days of nurse practitioner prescribing and role development: a case study report from a hospital-based acute pain management team

Abstract

This report evaluates a beginning Nurse Practitioner (NP) role in Acute Pain Management. HEALTHCARE SETTING: The role was implemented within an anaesthesiology-based pain service. The NP author developed this pain service in 2002 and was endorsed as an NP 6 years later. The NP reviews all clients undergoing major surgery or trauma and provides pain management to women for caesarean section. Prior to this role, there were significant delays for some patients requiring prompt analgesia. This was because of the decreased availability of anaesthetists to fully participate in the pain service due to the demand for complex anaesthesiology practice. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION: Data were conveniently collected by the NP on prescription and service provision over 200 working days. Therapeutic activity reflected contemporary pain management practice and espouse the NP as a safe and effective clinician. The role has improved patient access to pain management through the prompt use of non-pharmacological interventions, drugs used to treat analgesic side effects, opioids and non-opioid analgesics. These initial positive outcomes are consistent with NP role development described elsewhere in Australia and overseas across a variety of healthcare settings. To sustain this role, robust continuing education and clinical support is required.