The Psychologist’s Role in Pain Management in the Intensive Care Unit

This chapter reviews the psychologist’s role in pain management in critical care settings. Assessment and intervention strategies are discussed while also highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. The authors describe how undertreated or unrecognized pain can lead to acute alterations in physiology and psychological stress that can worsen short- and long-term outcomes. Research is reviewed that emphasizes psychosocial factors that influence pain and suggests that a greater role is emerging in the critical care setting for psychologists. The chapter also explores the prevalence, causes, and consequences of pain in the intensive care unit, discussing not only possible pharmacologic treatment strategies but also opportunities for improved assessment and psychological treatment strategies. Areas of interest for future research are also addressed.