Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
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The newly approved Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) pain management standards present an important opportunity for widespread and sustainable improvement in pain assessment and management. Unrelieved pain is a major, yet avoidable, public health problem. Despite 20 years of work by educators, clinicians, and professional organizations and the publication of clinical practice guidelines, there have been, at best, modest improvements in pain management practices. ⋯ The revisions are published in the 2000-2001 standards manuals and will be effective January 1, 2001, for all patient care organizations accredited by JCAHO--ambulatory care, behavioral health, health care networks, home care, hospitals, long-term care, and long-term care pharmacies. An evaluation of the impact of the revisions is currently being completed, and education of the JCAHO surveyors and health care professionals is underway. Nurses, especially those with expertise in pain management, are valuable resources as health care organizations change their pain assessment and management processes to meet the new standards.