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Ann Schmidt Luggen

Publications and source records attributed to Ann Schmidt Luggen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
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Assessment of pain in the cognitively impaired older adult in long-term care.

This study's objectives were twofold: to identify pain assessment methods used by caregivers of cognitively impaired older adults in long-term care, and to identify medications ordered and administered to them. Over 60% of RNs, with fewer LPNs and CNAs, used formal pain assessment tools. Patient records identified that 77.5% of cognitively impaired patients had a regularly ordered pain medication and 91% had a PRN pain medication order. Thirty percent of patients received at least one PRN medication in a 1-week period. No one diagnosis was significantly associated with a greater tendency for PRN pain medications to be administered, with cancer a possible exception. Eighty-two percent of cognitively impaired patients had a PRN order for acetaminophen. Using minimum data set (MDS) criteria, this study found that patients with greater communication impairments received fewer pain medications.

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