Step B
In older adults with delirium or severe cognitive impairment who can’t self-report,
use this alternative approach to pain assessment.
• Search for potential sources of pain common in frail elders, including comorbidities,
relevant diagnoses, and other conditions that might be overlooked (as described above).
• Observe for pain-related behaviors, such as grimacing, moaning, and postural changes.
Use the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia (PAINAD) tool or another valid
and reliable pain behavior tool.
(For a list of these tools, visit http://prc.coh.org/PAIN-NOA.htm).
Pain behavior tools assess for behaviors that may be pain related, as well as increases or
decreases in these behaviors. However, a pain behavior score derived from a pain behavior
tool isn’t comparable to a pain intensity score derived from a numeric rating scale.
You need to rule out other factors that may cause similar behaviors, such as delirium.
If delirium is present, assess for possible untreated or undertreated pain.
Staff should be educated to use the selected tool to establish baseline behavior
and monitor for changes that suggest pain, evaluate response to treatment with the same tool across transitions and settings, and incorporate the selected pain tool into facility procedures for assessing pain in nonverbal older adults.
• Obtain a proxy report from family members, professional caregivers, or unlicensed personnel
(such as nursing assistants) regarding changes in the patient’s activities or function
that may be pain related. Nursing assistants can screen for pain using a pain behavior scale, referring to the nurse for a thorough assessment. If you suspect the patient has pain or
if pain behaviors persist after his or her basic physiologic needs have been assessed and
comfort measures are implemented, initiate and evaluate a time-limited analgesic trial starting
with acetaminophen, as indicated and prescribed. (See Analgesic trial for suspected
pain in noncommunicative older adults with cognitive impairment.)
• Usually, the decision to treat pain in older adults with dementia is linked to behavior changes. Because frail elders have compromised homeostasis and (with cognitive impairment)
delayed pain recognition, improvement in pain behaviors may be slow.
If behaviors do improve, assume pain was the cause of those behaviors
and conduct a riskbenefit analysis to determine the best treatment plan that incorporates
the safest complementary interventions and analgesics, if needed.
Step BIn older adults with delirium or severe cognitive impairment who can’t self-report, use this alternative approach to pain assessment.• Search for potential sources of pain common in frail elders, including comorbidities, relevant diagnoses, and other conditions that might be overlooked (as described above).• Observe for pain-related behaviors, such as grimacing, moaning, and postural changes. Use the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia (PAINAD) tool or another valid and reliable pain behavior tool. (For a list of these tools, visit http://prc.coh.org/PAIN-NOA.htm).Pain behavior tools assess for behaviors that may be pain related, as well as increases ordecreases in these behaviors. However, a pain behavior score derived from a pain behaviortool isn’t comparable to a pain intensity score derived from a numeric rating scale.You need to rule out other factors that may cause similar behaviors, such as delirium. If delirium is present, assess for possible untreated or undertreated pain. Staff should be educated to use the selected tool to establish baseline behaviorand monitor for changes that suggest pain, evaluate response to treatment with the same tool across transitions and settings, and incorporate the selected pain tool into facility procedures for assessing pain in nonverbal older adults.• Obtain a proxy report from family members, professional caregivers, or unlicensed personnel(such as nursing assistants) regarding changes in the patient’s activities or functionthat may be pain related. Nursing assistants can screen for pain using a pain behavior scale, referring to the nurse for a thorough assessment. If you suspect the patient has pain orif pain behaviors persist after his or her basic physiologic needs have been assessed andcomfort measures are implemented, initiate and evaluate a time-limited analgesic trial startingwith acetaminophen, as indicated and prescribed. (See Analgesic trial for suspectedpain in noncommunicative older adults with cognitive impairment.)• Usually, the decision to treat pain in older adults with dementia is linked to behavior changes. Because frail elders have compromised homeostasis and (with cognitive impairment)delayed pain recognition, improvement in pain behaviors may be slow. If behaviors do improve, assume pain was the cause of those behaviors and conduct a riskbenefit analysis to determine the best treatment plan that incorporatesthe safest complementary interventions and analgesics, if needed.
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