Principles and practice of managing pain - Gareth Parsons

"I found this book extremely easy to read. It does much more than tell us what pain is and how to limit or prevent it. It explains the ethical aspects of pain management and makes us think about why and how we should manage patients' pain, and what our rights and duties are in pain management. The book takes us from an explanation of pain, through pain assessment, pharmacology and management, and informs us how to plan for pain management, rather than only focussing on reactive pain control. It also looks at pain from the patient's perspective and teaches us how to assess pain using a variety of recognised tools ... I will use this book again and again, and would recommend it to fellow students who are placed on wards where pain management and planning is required."
Conor Hamilton, Student Nurse, Queens University Belfast, UK

This practical introductory text provides an accessible guide to pain and how it affects patients and care giving. It considers:

• Different pain types including acute, chronic and palliative
• Assessing pain
• Treatment and pharmacology of pain control
• Challenging situations and dilemmas
• Communicating with patients in pain
• Ethical and legal aspects of treating pain

The book also considers the experience of pain from the patients' perspective, to help healthcare students better understand the needs of patients who are in pain and how they can improve the care they give.

Case studies, tools for decision making, insights on patient experiences and reflective exercises provide opportunities for you to reflect upon your own practice and to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Principles and Practice of Managing Pain is ideal for students preparing to practice in a health care environment.

Contributor: Maria Parry, Senior Lecturer Palliative Care, University of Glamorgan, UK