Effects of performance feedback on patient pain outcomes

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an individual feedback intervention provided to nurses on selected patient outcomes related to postoperative pain management. Individual performance feedback served as the intervention. Thirty orthopedic staff nurses received feedback Information on their past performance of recommended pain management practices. Data were collected preintervention and postintervention on selected patient pain outcomes from the medical records of 240 patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty. The patient outcome measures were mean 4-hour pain intensity ratings, mean highest pain intensity ratings, mean number of times pain ratings exceeded patients' acceptable level of pain, mean administered morphine equivalents, and mean pain ratings on reassessment following analgesia administration. An improvement was noted in all pain outcomes following the feedback intervention. Results indicate that providing nurses with feedback on their past performance of pain management practices may contribute to decreased postoperative pain.