Anaesthesia | Pain | Step III: Administration Techniques : IV PCA

Step III: Administration Techniques – IV PCA
Session Overview
Description
This module will enable you to use patient controlled analgesia (PCA) techniques according to patient need and to manage common problems and side-effects.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Explain the variables which can be set during pump programming
• Describe the components needed to run an IV PCA system
• Select and change a patient specific IV PCA program
• Identify and manage common IV PCA side-effects

PCA techniques permit greater patient control of analgesia compared to conventional techniques. Although most commonly used postoperatively as IV opioid PCA devices, they can be used for any painful condition and have merit in treating mucositis and sickle cell crises.

The benefit and safety of PCA techniques are linked to the fact that they are patient driven treatments; thus, the patient can request the right amount of analgesia with minimal delay. Overdose of opioid analgesia is avoided by having the patient within the feedback loop. If they do not request a further bolus after the lockout time (because they are oversedated), they will not receive another dose.

An understanding of the drugs commonly used with PCA techniques, together with an appreciation of the variables that can be altered on the device, will permit safe usage of this analgesic modality.

It is important to familiarize yourself with local PCA devices and pain protocols, as these may differ slightly from those shown here.