The AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND COLLEGE
OF ANAESTHETISTS (ANZCA) recognises the following
rights of patients to management of acute pain, cancer pain and persistent
non-cancer pain:
- The right to be believed, recognising that pain is a personal experience
and that there is great variability among people in their response
to different situations causing pain.
- The right to appropriate assessment and management of pain; patients
and their families have a key role in working with the health care
team to develop realistic goals for pain management.
- The right to have the results of assessment regularly recorded in
a way that assists in adjusting treatment to achieve effective and
ongoing pain relief.
- The right to be cared for by health professionals with training
and experience in assessment and management of pain, and who maintain
such competencies by all necessary means. Where such competencies
are unavailable, the patients should be referred appropriately.
- The right to appropriate effective pain management strategies. These
must be supported by appropriate policies and procedures and must
be appropriate for use by the health professionals employing them.
- The right to education about effective pain management options for
their particular problem; families should also be included in such
education.
- The right to appropriate planning for pain management after discharge
from immediate care.
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