Welcome back to Straight A Nursing, the podcast that provides practical tips and knowledge to excel in your nursing practice. In this episode, we'll be exploring pain fundamentals. In addition to learning about opioids commonly used to treat pain, you’ll learn the significant impact acetaminophen and NSAIDs can have on a patient's pain level, and how these medications can significantly reduce the need for opioids. You’ll also learn the basics of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and the importance of careful medication administration. And don't worry, we won't forget about nonpharmacologic pain therapies, which can actually make a huge difference! But that's not all - we'll also dive into the different types of pain, including nociceptive, neuropathic, and nociplastic pain, exploring their unique characteristics and treatment approaches. We'll also discuss pain scales, including the well-known Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and the Adult Nonverbal Pain Scale (ANPS), providing insights into how to assess pain in patients who may not be able to self-report. So, get ready to expand your knowledge, gain valuable insights, and enhance your nursing practice as we embark on this pain fundamentals journey together. Press play and let's get started with another episode of Straight A Nursing! ********* Full Transcript - Read the article and view references FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh! Pharmacology Success Pack - Want to get a head start on pharmacology? Download the FREE Pharmacology Success Pack 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! __________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight a Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices