Pain Management Education Patients as Partners Pain Management

Pain Management Education: Patients as Partners

Pain Management Education Patients as Partners Objectives 1. Learners will gain knowledge of the movement that brought pain to the forefront. 2. Learners will discuss myths, misconceptions and barriers to proper pain management. 3. Participants will gain knowledge of patient/provider communication strategies to properly assess and treat pain

Pain to the Forefront • 1999 JCAHO* develops and publishes pain standards • 2000 standards take effect • 2001 American Pain Society introduces National Pain Care Policy Act • 2003 VA National Strategy: Pain is 5 th Vital Sign

Painful Facts • More than 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain • Each year, another 25 million Americans experience pain as a result of injury or surgery Pain Action Guide, American Pain Foundation, 2000

Assess your own practice q How much time allotment for pain assessment and education? q Who is your target population(s) e. g. elderly, peds, chronic conditions? q What are your patients beliefs, cultures and education level? q Who does the assessment and education (e. g. physician, nurses, NP, PA)?

Assess your own practice q What are you currently using to assess pain and required education? q How are you documenting pain assessment and education. q What educational resources are used?

Patient Education Resources Survey Results Ø 80% Ø Ø 40% Ø 30% Ø 20% Print materials developed by their healthcare center Micro. Medex Association-provided Purchased Booklets Pharmaceutical Company materials

Managing Pain: there’s lots to gain Purpose of tool • Meet JCAHO requirements • Address key patient issues • Address key provider issues

Managing Pain: there’s lots to gain Development of educational tool • Determining key educative points: providers and patients • Produce video • Evaluate effectiveness

Top 10 Content Points Pain Management Education (survey results: providers) 1. Importance of reporting pain 2. Communicating pain 3. Pain scale 4. Benefits of pain management 5. Goals and expectations of pain management 6. Patients rights 7. Dispelling myths 8. Different kinds of pain medication 9. Different delivery systems 10. Compliance issues

Key educative points: Patients Myths and Misconceptions § Living with pain is a sign of strength § Pain is pain - whether from a headache or broken leg § Pain has no impact on anyone but me § Pain has nothing to do with recovery (Pain Action Guide, American Pain Foundation, 2000)

Key educative points: Patients Myths and Misconceptions § If I take medication, I may become hooked. § If I take too much medicine, it will stop working. § I can only ask for help when I have severe pain. § If I complain too much, I am not being a good patient.

Managing Pain Video: Pre and post viewing • • • • Survey Items Q 1 Three benefits of pain control Q 2 Pain scale used for Q 3 Zero on a pain scale Q 4 Three things to tell your HCP re: pain Q 5 Three ways to relieve pain Q 6 Knowledgeable re: rights(Scale 1 -5) Q 7 Comfortable communicating pain (Scale 1 -5) Q 8 How active pursuing pain relief (Scale 1 -5) Q 9 Resist taking pain meds Q 10 Experienced pain Q 11 If pain, tell your HCP Q 12 Relief at desired level Q 13 If no, tell your HCP Q 14 Overall rating of video 48% correct 74% correct 88% correct 62% correct 47% correct 2. 8 4. 3 3. 9 56% No 94% Yes 97% Yes 76% Yes 88% Yes - 71% correct 94% correct 99% correct 89% correct 78% correct 4. 2 4. 7 4. 5 91% No ----87% Excellent&Very Good

Barriers to Pain Management: Provider 1. Personal beliefs and values 2. Lack of knowledge 3. Lack of resources 4. Incomplete or inaccurate assessment

Pain Management Assessment Performing a task vs engaging a client 1. What is pain 2. Pain Scale 3. Pain descriptors (W 4 Guide) 4. Pain tolerance interpretation 5. Benefits of pain management 6. Importance of pain management 7. Misconceptions/concerns 8. Ongoing assessment/education 9. Pain Bill of Rights

Assessing and Communicating Assess for pain every visit • Pain Scales • The W 4 Guide: Ø Where is the pain? Ø What makes it worse/better? Ø What does the pain feel like? Ø When is the pain worse/better?

References • American Pain Foundation, www. painfoundation. org, 1 -888 -615 -PAIN • American Cancer Society, www. cancercare. org, 1 -800 -813 -HOPE • American Chronic Pain Association, www. theacpa. org, 1 -916 -632 -0922 • Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), www. jcaho. org