ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A task force of members of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN) authored a position paper "Prescribing and Administering Opioid Doses Based Solely on Pain Intensity." Some of the authors of this ASPMN position paper presented a concurrent session at the September 2016 ASPMN National Conference discussing the content of the position paper. As a follow-up, the authors designed a research study to identify the impact of the position statement in facilitating change in institutional practice of dosing analgesics based solely on pain intensity. AIMS: Our aim was to ascertain the effect of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing ASPMN position paper "Prescribing and Administering Opioid Doses Based Solely on Pain Intensity" (2016) on changes in institutional practices. DESIGN: The study used an online anonymous questionnaire that included open-ended questions. SETTINGS: An anonymous electronic questionnaire was used to assess the impact across the United States. PARTICIPANTS/SUBJECTS: Participants were members of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing. METHODS: An eight-question anonymous questionnaire created through Survey Monkey was sent to members of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing via an e-mail listserv and the monthly e-newsletter. RESULTS: Of the 142 members who consented to participate in the study, 120 members answered one or more questions. Those who responded to the question about changes in practice, only 13 (11.1%) reported that the position paper had influenced a change in practice at their institution. The majority, 89 (75%), reported that practice had not changed in their institution. CONCLUSIONS: Among those clinicians who participated in this study, the position paper "Prescribing and Administering Opioid Doses Based Solely on Pain Intensity" reportedly had minimal impact on changing institutional practices.
