A Standardized Pain Management Protocol Improves Timeliness of Analgesia Among Emergency Department Patients With Renal Colic

BACKGROUND: Kidney stones are a common, and extremely painful, cause of emergency department (ED) visits. Pain management is a critical component of high-quality patient care. A pilot study at our institution found that only 69% of ED patients with renal colic had evidence of clinically significant analgesia. OBJECTIVE: In response to these findings, we evaluated the impact of a formalized pain management protocol on timeliness of analgesia among ED patients with renal colic. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Using a before and after study design, adult ED patients with renal colic were eligible. In the prospective arm, patients were treated with ketorolac, 30 mg intravenous, and morphine, 0.05-0.1 mg/kg intravenous, according to a standardized protocol. Results were compared with a retrospective chart review of eligible patients treated during a similar preprotocol period. RESULTS: Implementation of the protocol resulted in a significant reduction in time to effective analgesia (72 ± 63 vs 37 ± 42 minutes, P = .003). The protocol did not result in any increase in adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a standardized pain management protocol among ED patients with renal colic resulted in a marked improvement in quality of care as evidenced by a 49% reduction in time to effective analgesia.