The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing
Vol. 35 No. 3 May/June 2004
By Deborah Witt Sherman, PhD, APRN, ANP, BC-PCM, FAAN; Marianne LaPorte Matzo, PhD, APRN, GNP, BC, FAAN; Judith A. Paice, PhD, RN, FAAN; Maureen McLaughlin, RN, PhD; Rose Virani, RNC, MHA, RN, OCN
BACKGROUND
Relief of pain for patients requires that palliative care practitioners have knowledge and skill in both pain assessment and the use of pharmacologic and complementary therapies.
METHOD
Pain assessment and management and the teaching strategies suggested within the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium curriculum are presented.
RESULTS
By addressing the pain experienced by patients with life-limiting illnesses and those at the end of life, the quality of care can be greatly improved. As a multidimensional phenomenon that relates to physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, the relief of pain enhances the quality of life of patients and lessens the stress experienced by family caregivers.
CONCLUSION
The relief of pain and suffering is consistent with the philosophy and goals of nursing as a profession and is a nursing responsibility.
AUTHORS
Dr. Sherman is Associate Professor and Program Coordinator, Advanced Practice Palliative Care Master’s and Post-Master’s Programs, Division of Nursing, New York University, New York, New York. Dr. Matzo is Graduate Faculty, Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Professor of Nursing, New Hampshire Community Technical College, Manchester, New Hampshire. Dr. Paice is Research Professor of Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. Dr. McLaughlin is Past Director, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Washington, DC. Ms. Virani is Research Scientist, End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California.
This article is based on the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium Project, which is supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (Geraldine Bednash, PhD, FAAN, Principal Investigator) and City of Hope National Medical Center (Betty Ferrell, PhD, FAAN, Principal Investigator).
Address correspondence to Deborah Witt Sherman, PhD, APRN, ANP, BC, FAAN, New York University, 246 Greene Street, New York, NY 10003-6677.
