Alyce Killmer, director of quality management at Trinity, said the pain management team has looked at ways to do a better job in light of the pending accreditation standards. The program was expanded into areas such as sports medicine and the nursing home. Killmer said most pain can be eliminated with the different medicines that are available. The pain management team tries to ensure that staff are aware of the importance of reducing pain and that myths about certain drugs, such as narcotics, are dispelled, she said. One of the problems in pain management nationally has been the reluctance of many doctors to prescribe opiods because of the fear of addiction.
Unrelieved pain has negative effects.
Just like they need an antibiotic to treat infection, they need analgesics to treat their pain. Many patients have been stoic, not realizing that they don't have to suffer or that pain can actually hinder healing. Pain can be relieved. Some estimates show that 40 percent of cancer patients have under-treated pain. One in four elderly cancer patients in nursing homes receives no treatment at all for daily pain.