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Metas de Enfermería

Metas de Enfermería

SEPTIEMBRE 2010 N° 7 Volumen 13

Pain assessment in the immediate postpartum period

Section: Featured Articles

How to quote

Márquez Romero MC et al. Evaluación del dolor en el puerperio inmediato. Metas de Enferm sep 2010; 13(7): 10-14

Authors

1Mª Carmen Márquez Romero, 1Sonia Mª Elías Briceño, 2Francisco Javier Suárez Fuster

Position

1Enfermera asistencial. Unidad de Obstetricia. Hospital Universitario Vall d’ Hebron, Barcelona.2Supervisor. Unidad de Obstetricia.  Hospital Universitario Vall d’ Hebron.

Contact address

Mª Carmen Márquez Romero Hospital Universitario Vall d’ Hebron. Paseo Vall d’ Hebron, 119-124. 08035 Barcelona.

Contact email: mcmarque@vhebron.net

Abstract

Objectives: to assess the pain experienced by women in the 24 hours after labour and to determine the repercussion of implementing a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for pain management.
Methodology: retrospective descriptive study (2006 and 2008), in two Obstetrics hospitalization units of the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, on women 24 hours after delivery.  Simple randomised sampling was used to select 55 women in 2006 and 120 in 2008.  An anonymous questionnaire validated by the hospital’s pain sub-commission was used.  Study variables: country of origin, age and TPAL (T: term births; P: premature births; A: abortions; L: living children), assessment of pain and its intensity using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), analgesic treatment, drug allergies and degree of satisfaction.
Results: in 2006, 12,7% of women in the postpartum period reported experiencing no pain while at rest, and in 2008 this percentage increased to 39,8%.  In regards to pain while moving, 100% reported experiencing this type of pain in 2006 and 64,2% in 2006.  With respect to pain intensity, a VAS score under 3 was reflected by 10,9% of women in 2006 and by 74,6% in 2008.  83,3% of women arrived in the service with the CPG.
Conclusions: the use of both clinical tools, the CPG and VAS, has decreased the prevalence of pain in the postpartum units.  This work has also evidenced that these tools enable the nurse to assess the onset of pain and to carry out early planning of the care that will be provided, with improved control and follow-up.

Keywords:

clinical practice guidelines; obstetrics; pain; postpartum; research; Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)woman

Versión en Español

Título:

Evaluación del dolor en el puerperio inmediato