Comprehensive pain management in medical-surgical nursing: assessment, multimodal interventions and patient outcomes

Abstract

Pain is a complex and multidimensional experience that remains a major concern in medicalsurgical nursing and can substantially affect physical recovery, psychological well-being, functional ability, and quality of life. Effective pain management requires more than the administration of analgesic medications; it involves systematic assessment, identification of the underlying characteristics of pain, selection of appropriate interventions, and continuous evaluation of treatment responses. Contemporary nursing practice increasingly emphasizes multimodal pain management, combining pharmacological therapies with non-pharmacological approaches to address different dimensions of the pain experience while reducing treatmentrelated adverse effects. Pharmacological options include non-opioid analgesics, opioids, adjuvant medications, and local anaesthetics, whereas non-pharmacological measures include relaxation techniques, cognitive-behavioural strategies, massage, heat and cold therapy, music, guided imagery, and mindfulness-based approaches. Nurses have a central role throughout this process because of their continuous interaction with patients and their responsibility for assessment, intervention, monitoring, education, documentation, and reassessment. Pain management is particularly important following surgical procedures and cesarean delivery, where uncontrolled pain may interfere with mobility, recovery, maternal functioning, and overall patient experience. This review discusses contemporary approaches to pain management in medical-surgical nursing, with emphasis on pain assessment, underlying physiology, pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions, multimodal strategies, nursing responsibilities, and pain control in surgical patients. An individualized, evidence-based, and patient-centred approach can support effective pain control and contribute to improved recovery and quality of care.