Background: Pain is assessed by nurses through either reported or observed intensity. Self-reported assessments, specifically a numeric score, are the gold standard and preferred to behavioral assessments. Disparities in the assessment and management of pain across race, ethnicity, and language status are prevalent, but we do not know how actual numeric pain scores vary and [...]

Background: Assessing and treating pain in older adults is challenging. Although having patients self-report pain on a numeric scale is the recommended approach, age-associated conditions such as dementia, delirium, and impaired vision or hearing can prevent patients from effectively communicating their symptoms. Older patients are also at risk of adverse effects from commonly used analgesics [...]

Case Presentation: 46 yo man with chronic pain due to T8-T10 compression fractures from renal osteodystrophy related to tertiary hyperparathyroidism in the setting of end-stage renal disease from sickle cell nephropathy had recurrent prolonged admissions due to uncontrolled pain to the point where the patient was unable to perform his activities of daily living. Traditional [...]