Mission Statement
Bryn Mawr Hospital is committed to providing high quality, safe pain management for all patients. Pain management is a process, rather than a circumstance, characterized by continual evaluation of practice and progress toward improvement of outcomes including: increased comfort, reduced side effects, fewer complications, enhanced patient satisfaction, and increased cost-effectiveness.

As a means of achieving this mission, Bryn Mawr Hospital is committed to providing on-going education, revision of policies and procedures, standard of care, and assessment tools used in the management of pain, as appropriate and in accordance with national guidelines and recommendations.

What is Pain and Why is it Important?
Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience. Pain can be ACUTE or CHRONIC. Acute pain typically has a known cause, such as surgery, a broken bone or car accident. Chronic pain is described as pain that has persisted long after an injury or has lasted longer than three to six months. Pain is also individual and can occur anywhere in a person’s body. No two people experience pain the same way. Pain control is important because it can affect a person in many ways. It can affect sleep, appetite, activity, emotions, and relationships with others. Uncontrolled pain can affect one’s immune system and may slow one’s recovery. To help achieve effective pain control, doctors and nurses as well as other healthcare professionals will ask about pain during hospitalization.

Pain Rating Scale
Pain rating scales are just one part of a pain assessment used to help determine how much a person hurts. Patients will be asked on a routine basis to rate pain from 0 (being no pain) to 10 (meaning worse pain possible). In addition, patients will be asked to describe pain. Being able to describe pain can assist in explaining the type of pain. Listed are just some words that can be used to describe pain:

• Sharp
• Dull
• Achy
• Spasm
• Throbbing
• Tingling
• Burning
• Knife-like
• Shooting
• Stabbing
• Nagging
• Gripping
  

Tips to get the Best Pain Relief

• Take Control: Finding good pain care and taking control of your pain can be difficult. Learn all you can about pain, possible treatments, and what works for you. It is also important to let your doctor or nurse know what you have tried in the past. Don’t be afraid to speak up.
• Keep a diary: Write down information about your pain: When does it occur? Where do you have pain? What were you doing? What helps or makes pain worse? The more information you can share the better the treatment plan.
• Set a Pain Management Plan: Put together your own “Pain Management Team.” This team should include your physician, nurse, key family members, physical therapist, pharmacist, and you. The most effective pain management plan should be individual to you and your pain. It is important to remember what may work for you may not work for someone else. The person who knows your plan the best is you.
• Set Realistic Goals: Taking small steps toward effective pain relief may work better than a quick fix. It is also important to note that for some, pain may not be eliminated completely but can be greatly reduced.

Pain Care Bill of Rights
As a person with pain, you have:

• The right to have your report of pain taken seriously and to be treated with dignity and respect by doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.
• The right to have your pain thoroughly assessed and promptly treated.
• The right to be informed by your doctor about what may be causing your pain, possible treatments, and the benefits, risks and costs of each.
• The right to participate actively in decisions about how to manage your pain.
• The right to have your pain reassessed regularly and your treatment adjusted if your pain has not been eased.
• The right to be referred to a pain specialist if your pain persists.
• The right to get clear and prompt answers to your questions, take time to make decisions, and refuse a particular type of treatment if you choose.

Where to find more information:

• American Alliance of Cancer Pain Initiatives:  www.aacpi.org (608-265-4013)
• American Academy of Pain Management: www.aapainmanage.org (209-533-9744)
• American Cancer Society: www.cancer.org (800-ACS-2345)
• American Chronic Pain Association: www.theacpa.org (800-533-3231)
• American Pain Foundation: www.painfoundation.org (888-615-7246)
• American Pain Society: www.ampainsoc.org (847-375-4715)
• Cancer Care: www.cancercare.org (800-813-4673)
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: www.nhpco.org (703-837-1500)

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