Regulatory Implications of Pain Management

Pain management is complex and raises important regulatory issues for boards of nursing (BONs). BONs deal with pain management situations related to both the nurse in pain and the patient in pain.The issues may relate to nurses or advanced practice nurses managing their patients' pain or nurses themselves receiving pain treatment or having dual diagnoses of chemical dependency and pain. To support BONs dealing with these issues, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing developed a national statement identifying the regulatory implications for nursing and presenting best practices that promote regulatory excellence and public protection.