Development of pain assessment among different clients and patients

Backround of the projects
A large research project ”Assessment and care of pain” has been started at the Department of nursing science in Kuopio University at 1990’s lead by professor Katri Vehviläinen-Julkunen. The project is continued in two sub-projects.

Sub-projects:

Effect of Parents’ Postoperative Pain Measure (PPPM) on children’s postoperative pain alleviation at home (2002-2008)
The Finnish version of the PPPM has been developed and validated during this project. The instrument consists of pain-related behavioral changes in children and it is provided to the parents while the child is undergoing day surgery. In this project the effects of the use of the PPPM on children’s non-pharmacological and pharmacological pain alleviation is tested by using a quasi-experimental design. The aim is to develop children’s pain identification, assessment and alleviation.
Leader of the project: PhD, Docent, Senior lecturer Päivi Kankkunen

Development of pain assessment among non-verbal clients and patients (2007- )
In this project the focus is on testing the validity and reliability of pain assessment tools among different non-verbal clients and patients. The project has provided knowledge of e.g. pain assessment among dementia patients, and in the project starting 2008 the focus will be on evaluation of validity and reliability of PAINAD in assessment of acute pain among patients with severe dementia. In addition, further studies will be focused on pain assessment among clients with severe mental retardation living in long-term care.
Leader of the project: PhD, Docent, Senior lecturer Päivi Kankkunen