It is estimated that in the United States more than 76 million people suffer from pain- whether it be chronic or acute. Your nurse aides work with clients who are in pain every single day. As you know, pain management is a basic part of good client care because every client has the right to relief from pain! Minimum pain management standards set by the Joint Commission require that patients be asked about pain on their first assessment and throughout the duration of care. 
Your CNAs should be prepared to not only fulfill the Joint Commission’s standards, but exceed them! Each of your nursing assistant’s should review and be up-to-date on their role in pain management, signs that their client may be in pain (including non-verbal cues), as well as how to deal with barriers to pain management (such as client fears, cost of medications, etc).
Since this September is Pain Awareness Month, why not help spread awareness and provide your CNAs with a top-notch inservice all about Pain Management?
After finishing the inservice, ‘Understanding Pain Management’, your nurse aides will be able to:
- Describe the Nursing Assistant’s role in pain management.
- List at least six ways to tell if someone is in pain.
- Describe at least three non-drug methods for reducing pain.
- Discuss some of the common barriers to pain management and how they can deal with them.
- Demonstrate in their daily work ways to help their clients manage their pain.
Is ‘Understanding Pain Management’ already in your inservice library? We have several different titles… each of which could serve as a great way to help raise awareness:
Pain & the Elderly, Understanding Arthritis, Complementary & Alternative Medicine, All About Headaches
Please feel free to call or email us with any questions you may have about the modules above or any of our products.
Toll-free: 877.809.5515 Email: info@knowingmore.com
