Improving Pain Management in Community Health Care Settings: The Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse

Abstract

Advanced practice nurses can play a key role in reducing or removing barriers to effective pain management in a variety of ways: as clinicians role modeling best practice pain management, as educators providing continuing education in pain management, as researchers incorporating evaluation research methods into pain management improvement projects, and as consultants to leaders of health care organizations and communities working to improve pain management. This article describes a unique collaboration of advanced practice nurses from the Medical College of Wisconsin Palliative Care Program, the Wisconsin Pain Initiative, and the Missoula Demonstration Project titled The Quality of Life’s End working together to improve pain management in home health and long-term care agencies in western Montana.

Keywords

advanced practice nursing best practice pain management Missoula Demonstration Project pain management The Quality of Life’s End Wisconsin Pain Initiative

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