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Abstract

Timely and appropriate analgesia for the treatment of long bone fractures is a primary goal of Emergency Departments. Despite incentives from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid and accreditation agencies studies have found the existence of pain management disparities. The purpose of this research study was to conduct a retrospective chart review to investigate if patients with an upper extremity long bone fracture received pain medication within 60 minutes of arrival to the ED and to identify if there was a difference in the pain management of patients, with identical injuries, by age. Katharine Kolcaba’s comfort theory was used to guide the implementation of this project. Pain medication was provided within 60 minutes in 63% of the participants aged 69 and under and 56% of those aged 70 and older. A larger disparity occurred between the groups being medicated appropriately according to the World Health Organization’s guidelines for pain management with 63% of participants aged 18-69 receiving the appropriate pain medication compared to 45 % of participants in the 70 and over age group. The APRN has the opportunity to educate the nurses and members of the interdisciplinary team through evidence based practice in the safe and effective methods for treating acute pain across the lifespan.

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