Sample interview questions: How do you ensure effective pain management for geriatric patients?
Sample answer:
- Comprehensive Pain Assessment:
- Utilize geriatric-specific pain assessment tools that consider age-related changes and cognitive impairments.
- Assess pain characteristics, intensity, location, and impact on daily activities and quality of life.
-
Regularly monitor pain levels to detect changes and adjust treatment accordingly.
-
Individualized Treatment Plan:
- Collaborate with the healthcare team to develop a personalized pain management plan tailored to the patient’s needs, preferences, and underlying medical conditions.
-
Consider non-pharmacological interventions, such as heat or cold therapy, massage, relaxation techniques, and physical therapy, to complement pharmacological approaches.
-
Appropriate Medication Selection:
- Choose medications based on the patient’s pain severity, underlying medical conditions, and potential side effects.
- Consider using analgesics with lower risk of adverse effects in older adults, such as acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
-
If opioids are necessary, use them cautiously and monitor for potential side effects, such as respiratory depression and constipation.
-
Start Low, Titrate Slowly:
- Initiate medication at a low dose and gradually increase it as needed to achieve adequate pain relief while minimizing adverse effects.
-
Monitor the patient’s response closely and adjust the dosage or medication regimen as necessary.
-
Around-the-Clock Dosing:
- Administer pain medications on a regular schedule to maintain consistent pain relief and prevent breakthrough pain.
-
Avoid “as needed” dosing, as it can lead to inconsistent pain managemen… Read full answer
Source: https://hireabo.com/job/2_0_13/Geriatric%20Nurse