Testing a preoperative pain management intervention for elders

The investigators examined whether elders who have been taught Pain managem ent communication skills and Pain management information obtain greater pos toperative pain relief than elders not taught this information. Thirty-one elders were randomly assigned preoperatively to a control or communication group in this posttest-only experiment with repeated measures. Communicatio n group participants were taught pain management, pain communication skills , and the use of two pain-intensity scales. Control group participants were taught to use the two pain-intensity scales. Pain was measured with the Mc Gill Pain Questionnaire Short Form. The communication group elders reported less postoperative pain over the course of their hospital stay. Pain manag ement knowledge alone may have enabled the elders to obtain greater Pain re lief. Nurses may want to incorporate similar pain management information an d pain communication skills when teaching elders how to obtain greater post operative pain relief. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.