Pain Behaviors and Pharmacological Pain Management Among Newly Admitted Nursing Home Residents.
Attah K Mbrah, Carol Bova, Bill M Jesdale and 2 others
PMID 34160183WHAT IT FOUND
Newly admitted nursing home residents unable to self-report pain were less likely to receive scheduled and as-needed pain medication when staff documented only facial, nonverbal, or protective pain behaviors instead of vocal complaints.
Key findings
01Residents with only facial, nonverbal, or protective pain behaviors were more likely than residents with vocal complaints to receive no pain medication.
02Residents with three or more pain behaviors were less likely than residents with vocal complaints only to receive no pain medication.
03Most residents with pain behaviors received some pharmacologic pain management, and as-needed medication only was the most common treatment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot show whether pain behaviors led to less medication or medication changed the behaviors. The Minimum Data Set cannot distinguish residents who had pain from those whose pain was well controlled. Pain behaviors and treatment were recorded from medical records or staff observation. Findings apply to newly admitted residents, not longer-stay residents. The data do not identify specific medications or dosages.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that residents with facial, nonverbal, or protective pain behaviors have less pain. The study is cross-sectional and cannot show whether the behaviors led to less medication or medication changed the behaviors.