title: Systematic pain records and their impact on pain control. A pilot study.
abstract: This study examined the impact of a systematic nursing pain assessment tool (PAT) and pain flow sheet (PFS) on pain management. A control group (N = 23) was compared with a treatment group (N = 20) of hospitalized patients on a medical oncology unit. In the control group, "routine" charting of pain was done in the nurses' narrative notes. Patients in the treatment group underwent standardized pain assessment and documentation using a PAT and PFS. The treatment group reported significantly lower average pain intensity ratings (chi 2 = 5.019, p = 0.02) on day three of follow-up. In addition, a greater number of patients in the treatment group (85%) reported decreased pain intensity from day one to day three as compared with the control group (57%). This study supports other research and recommendations in the literature that use of systematic pain records can improve pain management.
authors.affiliation: Acute Pain Program, Holston Valley Hospital and Medical Center, Kingsport, Tennessee.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Faries
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Orr
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology; D009737:Nursing Records; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects