ON MY SHIFT

Elaine V. Robins, MS, RNCS, CCRN
Nurse Practitioner, Post-Operative Pain Service
BWH Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine

My career as a nurse practitioner began about seven years ago when the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine created a position to manage pain for post-operative patients. Prior to that, I had been a surgical nursing staff educator for 15 years. During the last two years in that role, I earned my nurse practitioner certificate from the MGH Institute for Health Care Professionals. I have also worked as a staff nurse and nurse-in-charge in the Burn/Trauma Unit. While I found nursing education challenging, I was eager to return to direct patient care and the nurse practitioner position seemed the perfect match.

My role is to work with patients after they have surgery, to manage their pain with either an epidural, a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), or with oral medications. I collaborate with my anesthesia attendings and residents as well as with nurses and surgeons to optimize patients’ pain management plans and carry them out in an integrated fashion. I try to be the link between patients, nurses and physicians for pain management.

While this is a patient-care directed position, I often serve as a consultant to nurses. Frequently, nurses ask me to review a patient’s orders to confirm that the approach to pain management is appropriate, to allay any fears they may have about the treatment, and to give further suggestions for alternative approaches.

It’s very rewarding to relieve patients’ pain and help other health care professionals. I am grateful to be able to apply my experience in patient care and nursing education to benefit BWH.