International journal of nursing studies
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effectiveness of the Pain Resource Nurse Program to improve pain management in the hospital setting: A cluster randomized controlled trial.
The Pain Resource Nurse program is a widely disseminated, evidence-based, nursing staff development program, designed to improve pain management in hospitals. The program has shown promising results, but has never been tested with a rigorous research design. ⋯ The Pain Resource Nurse program was successful in improving nurses' use of standardized measures for pain assessment. No effects were found on patient outcomes; pain was both prevalent and severe at both time points. Only minimal improvements were noted in response to this evidence-based staff development program. Changes in pain management practices remain a challenge in clinical settings.