Testing the Pain Clinical Practice Guideline

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE · May 4, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a new approach to help manage pain in nursing home residents who have dementia. The researchers want to see if using a specific guideline, known as the PAIN-CPG-EIT, can improve how staff assess and treat pain, ultimately reducing pain levels for these residents. The trial will involve 12 nursing homes, with 25 residents from each home who are 60 years or older and living with both dementia and pain. Participants must show signs of dementia and report experiencing pain regularly.

If you or a loved one is eligible, you can expect to be part of a program that lasts for 12 months. Some nursing homes will receive additional support, including staff education, mentoring, and regular meetings to discuss pain management strategies, while others will only receive education. The goal is to gather important information about how pain is experienced and managed in older adults with dementia, which could lead to better care and improved quality of life for this population. Additionally, the trial will look at differences in pain treatment responses between different genders and racial backgrounds, aiming to ensure fair and effective pain management for everyone.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Living in a participating community
• • 60 years of age or older
• • Evidence of dementia based on a score of 0-12 on the Brief Interview of Mental Status (BIMS); a score of \>2 on the AD8 Dementia Screening Interview; a score of 0.5 to 2.0 on the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR); and lastly to differentiate between dementia and mild cognitive impairment a score of 9 or greater on the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ).
• • have evidence of pain at the time of recruitment based on the Minimum Data set assessment item: How much of the time over the past 5 days have you experienced pain or hurting with eligibility based on the following responses or evidence: occasionally, frequently or almost constantly, or staff report of pain at the same frequency; or if the resident is receiving nonpharmacological or pharmacological treatment for pain.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • admitted to the nursing home for short-stay rehabilitation or other subacute needs (e.g., intravenous antibiotics);
• • receiving Hospice care.