The Pain Management Resource Nurse Program at Baptist Health of Northeast Florida

Abstract

A pain management resource nurse “Train the Trainer” program was attended by the chosen nurse organizer in a five-hospital system including a home health agency. A grant was applied for and awarded from an independent donor to initiate a Pain Management Resource Nurse program. Applications from nurses with an interest in pain management were accepted and each person interviewed by the organizer. After the selection process was completed, the University of Wisconsin program was administered to 15 registered nurses across the health system. An attitudes and practice survey as well as a pretest were administered at the beginning of instruction of the first class and repeated at the end of the final class. The four classes were administered once per month for 4 months. All information for the class was provided to each nurse via a flash drive along with the 6th edition of the American Pain Society's Principles of Analgesic Use in the Treatment of Acute Pain and Cancer Pain for reference materials. Additionally, as a reward, each nurse was offered tuition for attendance to the 19th national conference of the American Society of Pain Management Nursing in Jacksonville, Florida. Each nurse also had the option of 1 year's membership in that professional organization. Clinical application in the form of individual patient consultations and other health care professionals' education occurred between the didactic portions and afterward. Test results revealed a positive average increase of 21%. The new knowledge of the nurses applied clinically has resulted in patient pain and comfort advocates throughout the health system. The Pain Management Resource Nurse program is effective in providing useful education for nurses.