Postoperative pain management for the cognitively impaired older adult
Bell, M.L.
Seminars in Perioperative Nursing 6(1): 37-41
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 1056-8670 PMID: 9087120 Document Number: 481994
Communication difficulties associated with cognitive impairment pose a serious threat to effective pain management. The purpose of this study was to describe how pain behaviors and the use of pain relief measures differ between postoperative cognitively impaired and cognitively intact older adults. Findings showed that cognitively impaired patients may be at greatest risk for undertreatment of pain during the initial postoperative period.