Pain Management in Aged Care

Chapter 13: Pain Management

Overview:

• Definition and types of pain
• Aged‐related factors
• Pain assessment
• Guidelines for effective pain management
• Pharmacological, non‐pharmacological and complementary pain management

Description:

Pain is most often poorly managed in those who are most defenceless against it ‐ the elderly. The focal point of this chapter provides nurses with an insight into pain and how it can be effectively handled.

Topics:

• Introduction
• Definition of pain
• Types of pain
  • Somatic, visceral, and neuropathic pain
• Age-related factors
• Pain assessment
  • Complexity of problem
  • Assessment and measurement tools
  • Documentation
• Guidelines for effective pain management
  • Principles
• Pharmacological pain management
  • Routes of administration
  • Types of analgesics
• Non-pharmacological and complementary management
• Conclusion

Speaker / Author:

Robyn Dealtry

Robyn Dealtry is a registered nurse who spent nine years in Singapore in the 1970s where she raised a family and worked with a Singapore private nurses’ agency. After returning to Australia, Robyn worked in gerontic nursing and postanaesthesia nursing. She established the Acute Pain Service at Westmead Hospital (Sydney, Australia) and is now the clinical nurse consultant and team leader of that service.

Robyn has spoken at many local, national, and international conferences and, in collaboration with the College of Nursing (New South Wales, Australia), wrote the first distance‐education package in assessing and managing acute adult pain. Robyn has written two journal articles on the management of trauma pain and a book chapter on epidural pain management. Robyn also holds a position on the editorial board of South‐East Asian Cardiothoracic Nurses Journal. Robyn specialises in acute postoperative, trauma, and advanced cancer pain management.

Professional Reviews:

Assessing pain management in any person is difficult, but assessing pain management in an elderly person with dementia is often quite challenging.  This resource gave insight on various ways on how to assess and improve the quality of life of an elderly person who has dementia and is in pain.