Friday, July 11, 2008
Pain in dementia pearls
Pain Medicine has a practical, chatty case series plus clinical pearls piece about pain management in hospitalized patients with dementia. It's a good one for the teaching file and highlights many issues I imagine many of us see: patients can't ask for pain meds so never get them; patients placed on PCAs who can't understand what they are; patients unable to report side effects of or response to pain medications. Some practical advice is given. Of course no miracles here.
It does highlight the absolute importance of having well-trained nurses to monitor the patients, use PRNs wisely, record pain responses, etc.
