Wound Related Pain Management in a Community Healthcare Setting

Abstract

Chronic wounds affect millions of individuals in the United States with a large percentage of these individuals experiencing wound-related pain. Dressing removal has been reported to be the most painful procedure related to wound care. Pain is typically well controlled in the hospital setting, but once the patient leaves, pain control becomes more difficult in the community setting. It is not clear why pain management is more difficult for community-dwelling individuals. The purpose of this program evaluation is to evaluate pain management strategies in a community-dwelling population.

The setting for this program evaluation is an outpatient wound healing clinic in rural eastern North Carolina which serves between 50-60 individuals/day. Clients of all ages receive wound care for diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, trauma wounds, and burns. In collaboration with a wound care Registered Nurse, a chart audit tool was developed to evaluate factors such as demographic profile, wound type, dressing type, pain management strategy, pain scale during wound care, and dressing change frequency. The audit tool will also look at if the patient’s reported pain is controlled or uncontrolled, and if a change in the management plan was documented for those with uncontrolled pain. These factors will be compared to the most recent evidence-based practices for wound management.