A survey of directors of Canadian academic acute pain management services: the nursing team members role--a brief report.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify Canadian academic centres with Acute Pain Management Service (APMS), and to describe the nature of nursing involvement on the APMS.

Methods: Departments of Anesthesiology in the 16 Canadian medical schools were contacted to obtain a list of affiliated hospitals and the person most responsible for acute pain. A questionnaire designed to gain insight into nursing involvement on APMS was sent out to the 62 hospitals between June 2000 and January 2001.

Results: Seventy-six percent of centres responded and of these 89% (n = 42) had an APMS. In 76% of APMS nursing was involved on the service. Sixty-two percent (n = 26) had a designated nursing team member on the APMS who contributed in the realms of patient care, staff and patient education, and administrative development. The APMS nurse performed patient rounds independently (62%) and with a physician (64%). Decision-making was primarily the responsibility of anesthesiology, however, the APMS nurse (38%) and the bedside nurse (23%) were involved in some centres. The highest educational attainment in the 26 hospitals with an APMS nurse was, diploma RN (27%), BScN (31%) and MSc (12%). The distribution of advance practice nursing was nurse practitioner (12%), clinical nurse specialist (27%), or both (8%).

Conclusion: Nursing played an important role on the APMS, however, quality acute pain management can only be achieved with continuing efforts by anesthesiology, nursing and hospital administration to support the role of nurses as essential members of the acute pain team.