Patient controlled analgesia

Patient controlled analgesia - a method of intravenous narcotic analgesic delivery that uses a pump or similar delivery system that allows the patient, or in the absence of the patient's ability to do so the patient's nurse or family members, to administer predetermined doses of analgesic as needed to maintain adequate pain control. This method allows the patient and/or family to have increased autonomy. Further, research has shown improved pain control and reductions in narcotics necessary to maintain pain control to be associated with this delivery method.