R3 Report Issue 21: Pain Assessment and Management Standards for Nursing Care Centers
Effective July 1, 2019, new and revised pain assessment and management standards will be applicable to Joint Commission-accredited nursing care centers. These program-specific standards are a continuation of the initiative that resulted in new and revised pain assessment and management requirements for hospitals, ambulatory care organizations, critical access hospitals, and office-based surgery practices (see July 2017 the Joint Commission Perspectives®, Pages 1, 3, and 4 and July 2018 the Joint Commission Perspectives, Pages 17–18). The program-tailored standards are designed to provide accreditation programs with contemporary guidance for pain assessment and management and strengthen organizations’ practices for pain assessment, treatment, education, and monitoring.