Improving Pain Management in Nursing Homes: A Research Project to Enhance Care Practices

Improving Pain Management in Nursing Homes: A Research Project to Enhance Care Practices

This study aims to improve the way pain is managed in nursing homes. It focuses on training staff, creating better systems to track pain, and involving residents and their families in decision-making. The goal is to provide better, more personalized care for residents, making sure their pain is properly managed and that the staff is well-equipped to support them.

Inclusion Criteria

For residents:

• Aged 60 years or older
• Living in the nursing home (EHPAD) for at least 3 months
• Presence of chronic or acute pain requiring regular management
• Willing to participate in a semi-structured interview
• Provided informed and signed consent to participate in the study

For family members or close relatives:

• Family member or close relative who visits the resident regularly
• Actively involved in the resident's care or support
• Willing to participate in a semi-structured interview
• Provided informed consent to participate in the study

For healthcare professionals:

• Registered nurses (RN), nursing assistants (NA), or support staff (AVS) involved in professional practice analysis groups
• Nurse managers, department heads, psychologists of the nursing home, or the hospital's quality engineer participating in semi-structured interviews
• Voluntary participation with informed and signed consent
• Available to participate in all stages of the project

Exclusion Criteria

For residents:

• Under 60 years of age
• Living in the nursing home for less than 3 months
• Absence of pain requiring regular management
• Cognitive impairment preventing participation in interviews
• Refusal or inability to participate in discussion and exchange sessions
• Unwillingness to take part in a semi-structured interview
• Inability to provide informed and signed consent
• Resident in end-of-life care

For family members or close relatives:

• Family member or relative with infrequent contact with the resident
• Refusal or inability to participate in discussion and exchange sessions
• Refusal to sign informed consent for participation
• Unwillingness to take part in a semi-structured interview

For healthcare professionals:

• Refusal or inability to participate in group discussions or semi-structured interviews
• Refusal to sign informed consent for participation
• Temporary, freelance, or external professionals not part of the regular care team
• Professionals mandated or forced to participate in practice analysis groups
• Unavailable to participate in all stages of the project