Date of Award

5-1-2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Nursing

Abstract

Postoperative pain control is an important component to patient rehabilitation. The multi-modal approach to pain management includes the use of peripheral nerve blocks to improve the perception of postoperative pain. The purpose of this study was to determine Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) practice experience with the use of femoral nerve block (FNB) for pain control in patients receiving total knee arthroplasty.

CRNA’s experienced with providing anesthesia for total knee arthroplasty were surveyed to determine their utilization of the femoral nerve block technique and their perceptions of efficacy of the technique. A quota sample of CRNA’s from major hospitals in a midwestern state, were asked to participate in completing a questionnaire.

The utilization of FNB in the study was 17.2% of TKA patients. Those CRNA’s that received both formal and other training in nerve block technique were more likely to use FNB for pain control than their peers who received only one type of training or no training at all. The literature review data regarding the absolute efficacy of the FNB technique was limited. The study did reveal, however, that 60% of CRNA’s who do perform FNB, reported the TKA patients’ pain control in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU), when using general anesthesia, as fair or poor. Barriers to the use of FNB revealed the most significant barrier to performing the procedure to be the anesthesiologist preference.

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