This lesson on Caring for the Patient with Pain includes a complete in-service training packet. It takes approximately one hour to complete and fully meets the Medicare in-service training requirement for one hour of hospice aide training.

The lesson is easy to use and written specifically for hospice aides. As aides need training, simply copy the pages from each lesson as needed—the only restriction is that aides receiving training must work from your office location. Remember, your hospice aides must have 12 hours of in-service training every year.

LESSON OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this program, the hospice aide will be able to:

• Name at least three types of pain
• Identify three behaviors that indicate the patient may be having pain
• List three comfort measures that will alleviate pain and
• Identify at least four responsibilities of aides when caring for a patient with pain

OVERVIEW
In late 2000, Congress passed into law a provision to make the next ten years, 2001–2010, the “Decade of Pain Control and Research.” This law has affected every level of health care, including homecare. Health care professionals now recognize that pain management is complex, multidimensional, and essential.

Patients in hospice must be encouraged to communicate the type, duration, and intensity of the pain they are experiencing. The hospice Interdisciplinary Group identifies a patient’s pain using agency-specific pain assessment tools. These tools are the foundation of pain management. They facilitate the development of a holistic plan of care that addresses a patient’s pain needs. This in-service lesson identifies the hospice aide’s duties that recognize pain and promote comfort for the patient.

ALSO
Check out the complete volume to add flexibility to your in-service training. You’ll save $60!