A Reflection on the Tools Used in the Assessment of Pain...

A reflection on the tools used in the assessment of pain in the elderly Pain is a phenomenon which is defined as an unpleasant as well as emotional experience is a very common phenomenon in older adults. The level of pain in adults should therefore be controlled at levels that are acceptable to these patients in order to allow them to maintain their optimal level of performance as possible. Pain is however not a normal part of the aging process and it is associated with various chronic (such as osteoarthritis) as well as acute (such as surgery and cancer) conditions. I my view as well as the view of the evidence-based academic literature, pain is a common and yet subjective experience for several older adults and despite its prevalence, the existing body of evidence suggests that it is poorly assessed and managed in the older patients. The cognitive impairment as a consequence of delirium and dementia represents a big challenge to the management of pain in older adults since they render these patients unable to verbalize the level of their pain. It is therefore the responsibility of us the Nurses as an integral element of a larger interdisciplinary care team to comprehend the myths that are associated with the management of pain as well as use the right tools in the assessment of the nature of pain being experienced by the older adults. In the next few paragraphs, I present my views of the four main tools of assessing pain the older adults. These include the Revised FacesShow MoreRelatedQuality Improvement Plan For The Elderly With Dementia And O ther Forms Of Cognitive Impairment1413 Words   |  6 PagesMeasurement and Assessment Healthcare organizations throughout Canada are focusing more and more on the delivery of quality care to its patients and families. 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