Multi-disciplinary interpretations of pain in older patients on medical units

SummaryThe aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of the health care team caring for older patients on acute medical wards. Pain is probably the most distressing symptom experienced by hospital patients. Pain management has traditionally been seen as part of the anaesthetist’s role, within the UK, establishment of acute pain teams was a response to the report ‘pain after surgery’ which cemented the link between pain and surgery. However, in 2004–2005, 63% of admissions to general medicine in the UK were individuals in the 60+ age group suggesting that older people are significant users of general medicine services. Treatment of pain is multi-disciplinary and effective pain management should be a universal response by health care professionals and non-professionals. A questionnaire was distributed to all nurses; registered and non-registered, junior doctors who worked on the acute medical wards, all physiotherapists and all pharmacists in the hospital. There were varying levels of pain management education identified across the professional groups and, whilst there is a reasonable level of pain knowledge both general and specific to the older person, there is still a need to improve the knowledge and attitudes of all health care professional groups caring for older patients in pain on acute medical wards.