A pain assessment tool for people with advanced Alzheimer's and other progressive dementias.
Appropriate pain management can only be achieved through accurate pain assessment that is individualized, ongoing, and well documented. Assessment tools must focus on the patient as the authority on pain's existence and severity; however, self-reports are not feasible when patients lose their ability to verbally communicate. This article describes a scientifically proven pain assessment tool that can be used for patients with advanced dementia and Alzheimer's Disease.
Lane
Patricia
P
Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center, Unit 62 ABN, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, 200 Springs Road, Bedford, MA 01730, USA. Patricia.lane2@med.va.gov
Kuntupis
Marilyn
M
MacDonald
Sally
S
McCarthy
Patricia
P
Panke
Jo Ann
JA
Warden
Victoria
V
Volicer
Ladislav
L
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D003142:Communication; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000379:methods; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005149:Facial Expression; D006699:Home Care Services; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D020407:Internet; D007697:Kinesics; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010146:Pain / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing / Q000592:standards; D012119:Respiration; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014705:Verbal Behavior