Narcotic Utilization for Pain Patients Housed in Private and Semi-Private Rooms.

This investigation examined: (1) the utilization of narcotic analgesics by 40 back pain patients housed in private rooms and 40 patients housed in semi-private rooms ; and (2) the activity patterns of 10 orthopedic/pain patients housed in private rooms and 10 patients in semi-private rooms. It was postulated that patients in private rooms would experience reductions in stimulation which would lower pain tolerance and result in greater use of narcotic analgesics. It was found that pain patients housed in private rooms used more intramuscular request-contingent narcotic analgesics but not greater amounts of other types of narcotic analgesics. Room type, as well as relevant medical and demographic variables, failed to account for the observed difference in medication use. In addition, it was found that patients in private rooms experience less social stimulation but reported lower discomfort levels than patients in semi-private rooms. It was concluded that room type per se did not appear to affect narcotic medication patterns and that other factors, such as medical staff and patient personality variables, may be playing an important role in contributing to the use of narcotic analgesics. Implications for future research are discussed.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Year

1983

Author dc:creator

• Dolce, Jeffrey Joseph

• Narcotic utilization
• Pain patients

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/6918

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.library.uab.edu:etd-collection-7910