Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association Creates Position Statement-Pain Management During Patient Transport

NEWS FROM THE AIR & SURFACE TRANSPORT NURSES ASSOCIATION: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aurora, Colorado (October 19, 2021). The Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association (ASTNA) recently released a statement regarding the management of patient pain in transport.

Critical care transport professionals are highly likely to encounter patients who experience pain – either before, during, or after transport. ASTNA believes that adequate pain management for patients in transport is integral to care and can ultimately serve as prevention of chronic pain development in many cases.

As the topics of pain and pain management, including both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic alternatives, have made their way into the public discourse, it is perhaps more important than ever for our industry and clinicians to deeply understand the pathophysiology and assessment of pain during transport. It is only with this deep understanding that appropriate management – either pharmacologic or alternative – can be implemented. ASTNA President Josh Wall, PhD, RN, CEN, CFRN, explains, “Pain is a common issue we face as transport nurses. We have an obligation to help manage that pain in a safe, effective manner that aligns with our scope of practice and our program’s policies/procedures.”

The current statement outlines the various types of pain, informed by a discussion of its pathophysiology as well as causes that may commonly be seen in the transport environment (e.g., injury/trauma, the physical act of transporting, etc.). This background is bolstered by detailed discussion of assessment during transport and provides several examples of pain rating scales applicable to various patient populations, including notes regarding the selection and application of these tools in patients who may be nonresponsive or have otherwise altered communication.

While opioids are commonly used to manage patient pain, there are indications and contraindications that transport professionals must be aware of in the provision of safe and effective pain management. In addition to commonly-used opioids, there are other pharmacologic treatments available for effective pain management, including nonopioids such as ketamine, anxiolytics, and/or antiemetics. Outside of pharmacologic pain management, alternative methodologies show efficacy in current research, and can include music therapy and acupressure, among other modalities.

ASTNA encourages ongoing education related to the concepts of pain for transport professionals and supports the use of appropriate pain management techniques in accordance with state/local and program guidelines, while prioritizing patient safety.

This position statement is available at https://www.astna.org/page/PositionPapers