Systematic pain records and their impact on pain control. A pilot study

Area of Science:

• Oncology Nursing
• Pain Management
• Clinical Documentation

Background:

• Effective pain management is crucial in oncology care.
• Current pain assessment methods may lack standardization, impacting patient outcomes.
• Systematic documentation tools can enhance the consistency and quality of pain assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a systematic nursing pain assessment tool (PAT) and pain flow sheet (PFS) on pain management.
• To compare pain outcomes between patients receiving standard care and those using the PAT and PFS.
• To determine if standardized pain records improve patient-reported pain intensity.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design comparing a control group (routine charting) with a treatment group (PAT and PFS).
• Study conducted on a medical oncology unit with hospitalized patients.
• Pain intensity ratings and pain reduction were measured over a three-day follow-up period.

Main Results:

• The treatment group reported significantly lower average pain intensity on day three (chi 2 = 5.019, p = 0.02).
• A higher percentage of patients in the treatment group (85%) experienced decreased pain intensity from day one to day three compared to the control group (57%).
• Standardized pain assessment and documentation were associated with improved pain management outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Systematic pain assessment and documentation using tools like PAT and PFS can significantly improve pain management in oncology patients.
• The findings support recommendations for implementing standardized pain records in clinical practice.
• Improved pain control contributes to better patient care and outcomes in medical oncology settings.