Western Journal of Nursing Research

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

The Diabetes Educator

SAGETRACK

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
0193945906295522v1
29/5/561    most recent
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (1)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kaasalainen, S.
Right arrow Articles by Ploeg, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kaasalainen, S.
Right arrow Articles by Ploeg, J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
This version was published on August 1, 2007
Western Journal of Nursing Research, Vol. 29, No. 5, 561-580 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0193945906295522
© 2007 SAGE Publications

Pain Management Decision Making Among Long-Term Care Physicians and Nurses

Sharon Kaasalainen

McMaster University, kaasal{at}mcmaster.ca

Esther Coker

Hamilton Health Sciences

Lisa Dolovich

McMaster University

Alexandra Papaioannou

McMaster University

Thomas Hadjistavropoulos

University of Regina

Anna Emili

Hamilton Health Sciences

Jenny Ploeg

McMaster University

The purpose of this study is to explore attitudes and beliefs that affect decisions about prescribing and administering pain medications in older adults who live in long-term care (LTC), with a particular emphasis on those with cognitive impairment. At each of the four participating LTC facilities, data were gathered from three separate groups of health care professionals: physicians, registered nurses, and registered practical nurses. Based on grounded theory, a model was developed that highlighted critical decision points for nurses and physicians regarding pain management. The major themes that emerged from the data concerned pain assessment (lack of recognition of pain, uncertainty about the accuracy of pain assessment and diagnosis) and treatment (reluctance to use opioids, working to individualize pain treatments, issues relating to physician trust of the nurse on prescribing patterns). These findings may facilitate the development of innovative approaches to pain management in LTC settings.

Key Words: pain management • older adults • dementia • long-term care • decision making


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?