Pain in patients attended at risk classification of an emergency service

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pain is a major symptom responsible for the search for urgency care. This study aimed at checking the presence of pain in patients attending the risk classification. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study carried out at an urgency care unit, using a form with socio-demographic and clinical data, risk classification, analgesia and pain record on medical charts. Pain Management Index proposed by the World Health Organization was calculated. RESULTS: From 102 patients included in the study, 82 (80.2%) reported pain, 45 (54.9%) were females, 48 (58.5%) were married, most (62 - 75.6%) lived in Greater Aracaju, 28 (34.1%) were classified as yellow. Acute, severe to moderate pain was the most frequent. In 71 (86.6%) cases, continuous pain has motivated the search for urgency care. Pain recording was present in almost all medical charts, being 80.5% performed by physicians. Simple analgesics and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs were the most frequently prescribed analgesics (59 - 72%). Pain management was inadequate in 86.6% of cases and there has been wide variation between admission and administration of first analgesia (mean: 94.5 min; min-max: 8-360 min). CONCLUSION: The lack of analgesic protocols at risk classification may impair adequate pain management.