ARTICLEPain Management Documentation Quality as a Reflection of Nurses' Clinical JudgmentSamuels, Joanne G. PhD, RN; Fetzer, Susan PhD, MBA, RN Author Information University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire. Corresponding Author: Joanne G. Samuels, PhD, RN, 253 Hewitt Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 ([email protected]). Accepted for publication: June 19, 2008 Journal of Nursing Care Quality 24(3):p 223-231, July 2009. | DOI: 10.1097/NCQ.0b013e318194fcec Buy Metrics Abstract Pain management documentation (PMD) is the chief method used by administrators, surveyors, and quality improvement managers to measure the quality of pain management. Eighty-five nurses from 2 hospitals generated 340 PMD record entries, which were scored using the Samuels PMD Rating Scale. Nurses' PMD scores ranged from 2.5 to 6.5 (SD = 0.77). Less than 50% of the entries met Joint Commission standards. Documentation results may reflect nurses' pain management clinical judgment. Targeted interventions are recommended. © 2009 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
