Understanding the pattern of pain relief medication being prescribed for patients who are discharged from the emergency department with a long-bone fracture

Background: Pain is the leading reason for patients to seek health care, accounting for up to 78% of presentations to the emergency department (ED). Appropriate pain management is the key to quality patient care. Despite effective pain management being a major treatment goal, the underutilisation of pain relief in ED remains prevalent. Aims: This study aims to investigate the impact of pain relief being prescribed in the ED and its effect on the pain scores for patients who have been discharged from the ED with a fracture in a long bone. This study will also investigate whether stronger pain relief are prescribed to patients and used following discharge from the emergency department. Participants: patients of age 17 or older with a long-bone fractures discharged from the hospital. Methods: Follow-up phone survey conducted at one week post-discharge from the ED. The survey will include questions about type of analgesia received and/or prescribed, filling of prescriptions, other pain medications used, adequacy of pain relief within the Emergency Department and following discharge, non-pharmacological pain relief, and interference with activities of daily living and side effects. Expected outcomes: 1) To improve understanding of analgesia prescribing practices of patients discharged from the emergency department within the NSLHD. 2) To improve care of patients with long-bone fractures with improved clinician and nursing awareness of severity of pain and analgesia.