Pharmacological management of pain after intracranial surgery.

Some healthcare professionals continue to believe that patients experience minimal pain and discomfort after intracranial surgery. However, clinical experience indicates that many patients experience significant pain after craniotomy. Despite research which supports the use of morphine as a method of pain control after intracranial surgery, some healthcare professionals continue to administer only codeine, which may be ineffective. Inadequate pain control can be associated with a variety of negative physiological and psychological consequences. Neuroscience nurses are challenged to re-evaluate their current beliefs and practices related to pain and pain control after intracranial surgery.