Nursing Roles for Chronic Pain Management in the Seriously Mentally Ill

Abstract

In this article, a comprehensive pain management program on an inpatient psychiat ric unit is described. Traditional pain management methods of patient education and active participation in rehabilitation are modified to be efficacious with a seriously mentally ill patient population. Specific assessment, planning implementation, and evaluation strategies for pain management in the mentally ill are outlined. To illus trate the pain program, a case study of a female psychiatric patient with a nursing diagnosis of "pain behavior, in excess of injury, related to ineffective coping skills and secondary gains" is used. Frequency of observed pain behavior and ambulation efficiency all showed a marked decrease during the month-long treatment plan. (JAM PSYCHIATR NURSES Assoc [1995], 1, 107-111)

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