The Role of Inpatient/Acute Pain Services for Perioperative Pain Management

Pain managementPain management is a significant concern for patients undergoing surgery. This chapter delves into the many roles an Inpatient Pain ServiceInpatient pain service (IPS) or Acute Pain ServiceAcute pain service (APS) team can play in perioperative pain managementPerioperative pain management. The APS team is a dedicated group of anesthesiologists, anesthesiaAnesthesia fellows and residents, nurses, and technicians who work together to aid in safe and effective perioperative pain managementPerioperative pain management. Its goals are to help reduce opioidOpioids consumption, reduce delays in hospital discharge, improve patient satisfaction, maximize patient safety, and answer patient questions. The IPS team helps place and manage peripheral and neuraxial nerve blocks/catheters, manage intravenous (IV) lidocaineLidocaine and ketamine infusionsKetamine infusion, manage patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pumps, or implement a combination of these techniques. There are tremendous benefits to implementing these strategies, including reducing the side effects of opioidsOpioids, facilitating participation in rehabilitation, and improving pain control. Members of the APS team should be experts in choosing the best painPain relief intervention, managing, and troubleshooting perioperativePerioperative pain, identifying contraindications to different interventions, recognizing regional anesthesiaRegional anesthesia and medication-induced emergencies and side effects. This chapter may serve as a guide for a successful acute pain serviceAcute pain service and the scope of practice within its different roles.