Building an institutional commitment to pain management in long-term care facilities

This report reviews the development, implementation and findings of an inst itutional study directed to the goal of making pain management an instituti onal priority in I;Wisconsin long-term care facilities. A total of 87 facil ities were recruited in two training cohorts. Each facility identified a te am of individuals, with responsibility! and authority for care policies wit hin their institution, to participation four structured educational program s. Each team completed an Action Plan structured around 14 national practic e indicators of an institutional commitment to pain management. At baseline , 14 % of facilities had > 51 % of the indicators in place; at conclusion 7 4 % of facilities had > 51 % of indicators in place. This education project was successful across training cohorts at implementing critical pain manag ement target indicators. (C) U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee, 2000.