Should mismanaged pain be considered an adverse event? (March 2015)

Summary

This blog, published in the BMJ, sets the context for an Evidence Based Nursing (EBN) Twitter Chat that took place on 18 March 2015. The chat focused on whether mismanaged (undertreated) pain should be considered an adverse event. The Twitter Chat was hosted by Dr Alison Twycross who is editor of EBN and has also done lots of work in the area of paediatric pain management.

This blog provides some context for the chat. The examples given relate to paediatric pain but the principles apply to pain in patients of all ages.