Date of Paper/Work
5-2018
Type of Paper/Work
Doctor of Nursing Practice Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Janet Benz
Department/School
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Abstract
Two Interprofessional teams addressed the issue of resident pain at St Gertrude's Health and Rehabilitation Center (SGHRC). The groups included members of Saint Catherine University Clinical Scholars Program and clinical staff from SGHRC. Both teams utilized evidence-based practice and the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement method as a model for implementation, leading to valuable insight into how to approach change when working with interprofessional teams in the long-term care (LTC) and transitional care unit (TCU) settings.
Exploration of the evidence resulted in the development of a quality improvement initiative to improve pain scores for LTC and TCU residents. The application of the plan-do-study-act method allowed for the evaluation of staff education, pain assessment, and integrative pain reduction methods on pain management. The rapid-cycle approach permitted for and determined changes needed to improve procedures and an organized way of implementation (healthIT.gov, n. d.). An educational component on pain assessment in the TCU and integrational pain reduction methods in the LTC unit provided by nursing assistants, nurses, and therapy associates was developed to reduce moderate to severe pain.
Recommended Citation
Dougherty, Ann Patterson and Zastrow, Jodi Kay. (2018). Pain Assessment and Protocol for Transitional Care and Long-Term Care Residents: Lessons Learned from Implementing Change in a Long-Term Care Organization. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/dnp_projects/99