Nursing Home Pain Management Algorithm Clinical Trial

Inadequate pain management in nursing homes (NHs) is well documented. Unrelieved pain in this setting results in depression, decreased mobility, sleep disturbance, and impaired physical and social functioning. This randomized controlled trial will evaluate the efficacy of a pain management algorithm delivered using intense diffusion strategies. Outcomes are facility pain practices and residents' pain, physical function and depression. Specific aims of the study are to: 1) Evaluate the effectiveness of a pain management algorithm (ALG) coupled with intense diffusion strategies, as compared with pain education (EDU) and weak diffusion strategies, in improving pain, mobility, and depression among NH residents; 2) Determine the extent to which adherence to the ALG and organizational factors are associated with changes in resident outcomes and the extent to which changes in these variables are associated with changes in outcomes; 3) Evaluate the persistence of changes in process and outcome variables at long-term follow-up and 4) Evaluate the relationships among behavioral problems and pain in severely cognitively impaired residents who are unable to provide self-report.

Inclusion criteria

• long-term nursing home residents,
• 65 years and older,
• with moderate or greater pain in the week prior to screening,
• residing in a participating facility,
• who consent to participate (or whose surrogate decisionmaker consents to participation)

Exclusion criteria

• short-term stay patients,
• persons less than 65 years,
• residents on hospice