Pain Management (Paramedic)

Safety Considerations

Field safety for pain management (paramedic) includes scene assessment before patient contact. Ensure BSI (body substance isolation) precautions are in place. PPE selection depends on the mechanism and suspected pathogens. Gloves are the minimum; add mask and eye protection for splash risk, N95 for airborne pathogens.

Never approach a scene involving hazardous materials, violence, or structural instability without proper resources and clearance from incident command.

Clinical Significance

In prehospital care, understanding pain management (paramedic) can mean the difference between a positive patient outcome and a critical miss. A 22-year-old motorcyclist with high-speed ejection. GCS 8, unequal pupils, posturing. Suspect TBI with herniation: hyperventilate, elevate head 30 degrees, rapid transport to trauma center.

Related pharmacology: atropine at 0.5mg IV q3-5min, max 3mg, indicated for Symptomatic bradycardia.

Assessment Techniques

Assessment techniques for pain management (paramedic):

Glasgow Coma Scale

Components: Eye opening (1-4), Verbal response (1-5), Motor response (1-6). Scoring: 3-15, 8 or less = severe, 9-12 = moderate, 13-15 = mild

OPQRST

Components: Onset, Provocation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, Time. Scoring: Pain assessment mnemonic

SAMPLE

Components: Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last intake, Events. Scoring: Mnemonic for patient history gathering

Patient Communication

Communication about pain management (paramedic) in the prehospital setting includes: explaining procedures to the patient in simple terms, obtaining informed consent when possible (implied consent for unresponsive patients), providing a calm and reassuring presence, and delivering a structured handoff report (SBAR: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) to the receiving facility.

Documentation

Documentation of pain management (paramedic) in the patient care report (PCR) must include: time of assessment, findings, interventions performed, patient response, and reassessment findings. Use objective, measurable terms like "patient reports 8/10 chest pain" rather than "patient in pain." Document pertinent negatives. All medications administered must include drug name, dose, route, time, and patient response.