Evaluation and treatment of pain in the pre-hospital setting. A comparison between patients with a hip injury, chest pain and abdominal painShow others and affiliations
2021 (English)In: International Emergency Nursing, ISSN 1755-599X, E-ISSN 1878-013X, Vol. 56, article id 100999Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Background: A large proportion of patients who call 112 in Sweden do so because of pain. The purpose of this study was to compare three of the most common types of pain presented by the patients: chest pain, abdominal pain and hip injury, in terms of initial assessment, intensity, treatment and effect of treatment. The overall rationale was to evaluate whether the early assessment and treatment of pain in the pre-hospital setting is optimal or whether there is room for improvement.
Methods: Observational study during 2016 including 1234 patients triaged to chest pain, abdominal pain and hip injury by the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Results: Severe pain on the arrival of the EMS was described by 39% of patients with a hip injury, 27% with abdominal pain and 15% with chest pain. Analgesics were given to 58% of patients with a hip injury, 35% with chest pain and 34% with abdominal pain. A lower intensity of pain at re-evaluation was observed in 80% of patients with a hip injury, 57% with chest pain and 43% with abdominal pain. Administration of analgesics increased with the duration of pre-hospital care time in all three groups.
Conclusions: Patients with a hip injury had the most severe pain and they received most pain-relieving medication. Overall, a relatively small proportion of patients with pain received pain-relieving medication and there appears to be an extensive room for improvement.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier Ltd , 2021. Vol. 56, article id 100999
Keywords [en]
Abdominal pain, Chest pain, Emergency medical services, Hip injury, Pain assessment, Pain management, Pre-hospital triage
National Category
Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disease
Research subject
The Human Perspective in Care
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-25931DOI: 10.1016/j.ienj.2021.100999ISI: 000656864500021Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85103004262OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hb-25931DiVA, id: diva2:1579642
2021-07-092021-07-092025-02-10