Post-operative pain management is a common OSCE scenario for final year medical students.

This is what I have seen written on the wards when it comes to managing a patient’s pain:

1. Regular paracetamol 1g PO qid maximum 4g/24

2. Add an NSAID if there is no contraindications, i.e. ibuprofen 200-400mg PO tds to qid maximum 2400mg/24. However, I don’t see NSAIDs written up too often.

3. PRN Oxycodone 2.5-5mg 2-hourly maximum 30mg

4. Make sure you document in notes especially if starting on oxycodone. Need to consider constipation, nausea/vomiting, and respiratory depression as side effects.