Hi,
I'm pretty P.O.'d too.... Am a Hospice nurse with a patient who's had a lifelong hx of neurological pain. Each time I see her she c/o pain "all over", is grimacing, moaning, cries out when moved, etc. when I ask if she needs pain meds she says yes...Requested her order for be increased to 30 gm oxycodone TID (now on 20 gm TID) w/breakthru pain meds PRN. The facility and the NP in charge claim that "she's always been like this - it's just what she says. We don't even ask her about her pain, and she doesn't bring it up so she's fine" Urgggghh!!!! So they never give her any PRN pain meds.:angryfire I've been gradually titrating her up, and it hasn't touched per pain, hence the request for the increase. What on earth happened to "Pain is whatever the patient says it is?" Is that only for patients under a certain age, or does it exclude dementia patients, or what?
This small battle may be lost for now, however, the war is not close to being over!