Improving pain management for patients in a hospital burns unit.

The pain caused by burns can be unpredictable and its management is complex. In order to minimise the discomfort experienced by burns patients, it is important that health care professionals understand the principles of analgesia and the importance of delivering the right drugs at the right time. An audit in a burns unit revealed that nursing and medical staff lacked confidence in prescribing and administering analgesia, and as a result patients were experiencing uncontrolled pain. A new system of pain assessment and management was developed with an accompanying education programme, which resulted in improved pain management.