OBJECTIVES: To describe the types of analgesic medication used by patients who had automobile accidents and to identify standardization of analgesic medication and measurement of pain intensity. METHODS: This was a descriptive longitudinal quantitative study with 100 patients who had automobile accidents from a trauma designated hospital. RESULTS: The majority of patients (90.0%) reported having pain. High and moderate levels of pain intensity were the most commonly reported by the patients. There was no prescription of analgesic medication for 48% of the patients. Patients with limb lesions received more analgesic medication than those with other types of lesions. Among 7 patients who had complete pain relief, 5 of them (66.7%) received opioid medication. CONCLUSIONS: Pain is a common symptom associated with inadequate evaluation and management. The use of opioid medication to relief high intensity pain in trauma patients in emergency services is not a common practice even for those patients who are hemodynamically stable and having a score of 15 on the Glasgow Coma Scale.
Pain; Wounds and Lesions; Analgesia; Medical Emergency Services; Evaluation
