TN News: Nursing Plans of Care for Patients with TN

1. Assess for pain and administer analgesics as prescribed
2. Provide non-medication interventions for pain such as guided visualization and distraction
3. Provide pre/post-operative care as applicable
4. Provide patient education to avoid possible aggravating factors such as use of an electric toothbrush or electric shaver, wind on face, hot or cold drinks, contact with air/water at extremes of temperature (hot or cold), etc
5. Interdisciplinary care to include not only neurovascular care but also social work, psychiatry, etc to support patient and family with the challenges of intractable pain and illness that may have no readily apparent cause
6. Referral to regular dental exams every 6 months because dental caries may be indistinguishable from bouts of pain related to TN (trigeminal neuralgia)

Sources:

Antipuesto, D. J., MN, RN. (Feb 2011). Trigeminal Neuralgia (Tic Douloureux). From Nursing Crib. Retrieved 5/23/2015 from http://nursingcrib.com/nursing-notes-reviewer/medical-surgical-nursing/trigeminal-neuralgia-tic-douloureux/

Sweet Haven Publishing Service. (2006). Lesson 38 Trigeminal Neuralgia. From Nursing Care for Neurological patients. Retrieved 5/23/2015, from http://www.waybuilder.net/sweethaven/MedTech/NurseCare/NeuroNurse01.asp?iNum=38

Trigeminal Neuralgia (Tic Douloureux). (n.d.). From Nursing Articles. Retrieved 5/23/2015 from http://studynursing.blogspot.com/2011/02/trigeminal-neuralgiatic-douloureux.html