Improving Healthcare Provider’s Knowledge and Attitudes About Pain Assessment in Dementia

Background: There is a high prevalence of pain in patients with dementia that is often not properly assessed or recognized which leads to ineffective treatment. Health care professionals across all disciplines are faced with the challenge of assessing pain in older patients with dementia. The research suggests that healthcare providers lack knowledge in pain assessment in dementia, which may lead to ineffective treatment. Purpose: The aim of the project was to implement an educational program to improve knowledge and attitudes about pain and pain assessment in persons with dementia (PWD). Methods: A single group pre and posttest design was used. The plan, do, study, act quality improvement model was used to guide the clinical question in the proposed project. The participants were healthcare providers in a long-term care and sub-acute facility. Participants completed a knowledge questionnaire before and after the educational program. A 90-minute educational program was delivered in a group session that included training on the use of the behavioral pain assessment tool (PAINAD). Descriptive statistics and t-test were used to analyze the data. Evaluation: Chart review was performed 30 days after the educational program to evaluate the use of the PAINAD. Results: The findings showed that knowledge on pain assessment in dementia was low among study participants and there was no significant difference in knowledge on pain assessment from baseline to two weeks after the educational program. Significance and Implications: Pain in patients with dementia is under-assessed and undermanaged and is a serious problem in the nursing home. There is a need to provide educational program to enhance pain assessment knowledge with periodic assessment on the use of standardized assessment tool. Increasing knowledge and attitudes on pain assessment and management in PWD will improve quality care among these patients.D.N.P., Nursing Practice -- Drexel University, 201