title: Infrequent assessment of pain in elderly trauma patients.
abstract: There are inherent difficulties in assessing and managing pain in elderly trauma patients, especially those with chronic health conditions or diminished capacities for self-reporting pain. This retrospective study identifies and describes patterns of pain assessment for a trauma population of older adults (age ≥65 years). Gaps between patient assessments existed in all phases of hospitalization and did not meet hospital guidelines for frequency of assessment. In addition, assessment methods were not always appropriate for the patient population. We conclude that older patients were not assessed for pain frequently enough, and that more regular and routine pain assessments may improve patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: UnityPoint Health Des Moines (Ms. Spilman, Ms. Baumhover, Ms. Lillegraven, Dr Lederhaas, Dr Sahr, Dr Smoot, and Dr Swegle), Des Moines, Iowa; and Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center (Dr Schirmer), Knoxville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Sarah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Spilman
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Baumhover
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lillegraven
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lederhaas
authors.forename: Sheryl M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sahr
authors.forename: Lori L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Schirmer
authors.forename: Dustin L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Smoot
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Swegle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D008297:Male; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis / Q000379:methods; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014193:Trauma Centers; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy