title: Impact of a Script-based Communication Intervention on Patient Satisfaction with Pain Management.
abstract: Pain is a common complaint among hospitalized patients no matter the diagnosis. Pain has a negative effect on many aspects of a patient's life, including quality of life, sleep, and activities of daily living as well as increased health care expenses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention (script-based communication, use of white boards, and hourly rounding) related to pain management on patient satisfaction with nurses' management of pain. A prospective, quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used. Data were collected from two units that provided care for patients with a variety of medical-surgical diagnoses in a hospital located in an academic health sciences center in the southern United States. When nurses used clear and consistent communication with patients in pain, a positive effect was seen in patient satisfaction with pain management over time. This intervention was simple and effective. It could be replicated in a variety of health care organizations.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, Kentucky. Electronic address: f0alal02@louisville.edu.
authors.forename: Fawwaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alaloul
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky.
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, Kentucky.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, Kentucky.
authors.forename: Kayla Dlauren
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, Kentucky; University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky.
authors.forename: M Cynthia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Logsdon
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010146:Pain / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States