Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
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Pain has a significant effect on physical and psychological outcomes for older adults post orthopedic trauma. The purpose of this study was to describe the management of pain among older trauma patients and consider differences between those who received 3 or more dosages daily of opioids versus those who did not. This was a secondary data analysis using data from an intervention study testing the effect of Function Focused Care among older orthopedic trauma patients (FFC-AC). ⋯ Patient records included all 89 individuals from the parent study, 59 (66%) of whom were female and 82 (92%) were white. Records indicated that those who received more than three dosages per day of opioids had a shorter length of stay, were younger, had more intense pain, and were more resilient compared with those who received less than three dosages per day. This secondary data analysis provides support for the importance of considering pain and pain management among older adults post trauma.
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Patients are encouraged to take an active role in self-managing their chronic back pain and functional problems. However, research suggests that patients do not self-manage, and they expect health professionals to fulfill a comprehensive role in managing pain. A partnership between patients and health professionals is called for, and self-management works best when they share knowledge and work together toward optimal goals. ⋯ This study suggests that a good patient-professional partnership has a positive effect on patients' self-management ability. A theoretical model explaining how such partnership may influence self-management was developed. It is necessary for both patients and health professionals to be aware of their partnerships, which may enhance the effect of pain management services.