Safety of a nurse-managed, titrated analgesia protocol for the management of severe pain in the emergency department

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of this study were: (i) to determine the adverse-effects profile of a nurse-managed, titrated intravenous analgesia protocol; and (ii) to characterize the use of opioid analgesics for acute pain in a setting where an intravenous analgesia protocol was in place. Method: Retrospective chart audit of 401 consecutive cases (May-July 1996) of opioid analgesic administration for the management of pain in an adult metropolitan emergency department was performed. Results: Of the 401 cases, 345 (86%) received opioid analgesia using the nurse-managed, titrated analgesia protocol. Nineteen adverse events were documented in this group (5.5% of patients; 95% CI = 3.3-8.5%). The..