| Pain
Management Practices
Children's Hospital has new role for resource nurses CARE resource nurses have a new role in the Children's Hospital—to promote the most effective relief strategies to prevent or alleviate unnecessary pain for children. These selected registered nurses are members of the Children's Analgesia, Research and Education (CARE) pain management team. In collaboration with physicians, staff nurses and other health team members, they function as facilitators and change agents for pain management practices on their assigned clinical units. By integrating clinical practice, research and education, they help children who are at risk for pain or experiencing acute or chronic pain find relief. Led by Francine Margolius, Ed.D, associate professor, College of Nursing, and Karen H. Rankine, R.N., the CARE team provides opportunities for sharing current information, problem solving, discussions about innovative interventions and other related activities for promoting excellence in pain management practices. Recent achievement of the CARE team include the development of the CARE resource manual and a pain management competency checklist. The checklist is used to assess pain management skills of nursing staff. CARE resource nurses are expected to initiate performance improvement projects to achieve and maintain excellence in pain management practices. Current activities include ongoing chart audits, inservices, patient teaching, staff education bulletin boards and other pain related projects. Read The Catalyst for future articles on CARE resource nurses' projects and outcomes. CARE Team Members Kristi Campbell, 8D; Doris Crouch, Pediatric Ambulatory Care; Donna Flickinger, PACU; Ellen Debenhem, 7B; Tammy Hughes, 7A; Tim V. Hushion, GCRC; Christie Jacobin, 7C; Melanie Johnson, NNICU; France McCreary, PICU; Carolyn Meeks, NNP, NNICU; Pam Smith, Emergency Services; Betsy Bateman, Pain Coordinator; Karen H. Rankine, CARE Co-Chair; Dr. Francine R. Margolius, CARE Co-Chair; Dr. Carol Dobos, Ex Officio, Clinical Director of Children’s Hospital |