Main concepts
- Routine assessment
- Assess, treat, and reassess pain with standardized tools
- Assess pain at rest and during mobilization
- Oral analgesia
- Switch from IV to oral administration within 24–48 hours postoperatively
- Multimodal pain control
- Combine opioids with acetaminophen/paracetamol and with other nonpharmacolgical analgesic interventions
- Routine administration
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Prescribe analgesics at regular intervals
- Provide breakthrough reserve by using short-acting immediate-release opioids (1/6 to 1/10 of daily dose)
- In complex pain situations, involve a pain specialist
Proceed to treatment