Chronic pain, defined as recurrent or persistent soreness lasting more than three months, is a prevalent health condition that significantly affects the quality of life and mental well-being of those living with it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2019, almost a quarter (24.3%) of the US population had chronic pain. Globally, about 1.5 billion people — roughly 20% of the world’s entire population — have chronic pain.

Because there are many patients in need of chronic pain assistance, there is also a great need for nurses who will provide healthcare support. Nurses are typically the healthcare team members who directly interface or have face-to-face contact with chronic pain patients, and are, therefore, in a unique position to help them deal with the condition in a more personalized and holistic manner. However, it’s no secret that healthcare organizations in the US are facing a nursing shortage — one that is expected to reach a deficit of 267,330 full-time RNs by 2028, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). When there aren’t enough nurses on the floor, patients with chronic pain may experience missed or improper assessments. They might also not get pain medication on time and not get access to evidence-based non-pharmacologic pain interventions.

Hospitals must have enough nursing coverage to ensure that chronic pain patients get consistent support and care. This article tackles how flexible per diem staffing, or staffing that addresses day-to-day needs, supports chronic pain care consistency in healthcare settings.

How Per Diem Nurses Can Be Onboarded to Maintain Care Continuity

Per diem nursing helps address staffing challenges that healthcare facilities have, whether it’s for busy seasons where there’s an influx of patients (such as during the flu season) or when full-time nurses go on vacations or paid time off.

Onboarding per diem nurses for care continuity is essential for healthcare facilities, as it ensures that patient care needs are met and that regular healthcare staff can maintain work-life balance. With supplemental nursing staff support, healthcare facilities have fewer safety incidents and improved patient care quality.

Because per diem nurses are not part of the regular nursing staff, a strong onboarding procedure is necessary to ensure that they’re equipped with the necessary knowledge and resources to keep patients safe, provide consistent patient care quality, and ensure operational and regulatory compliance.

When onboarding per diem nurses, it’s important to:

• Make sure that their documents are complete and that their credentials, certifications, and clearances have been confirmed a week before arriving at the facility.
• Provide them with their schedule, map/layout of the facility, policies and procedures, safety protocol information, electronic medical records (EMR) access, unit-specific orientation documentation, and other important information they’d need.
• Discuss information in a structured manner, from general hospital policies to unit-specific training.
• Provide or give access to unit-specific training and on-demand refreshers.
• Give checklists, instructions, and point persons with contact information per unit and who to contact for pain orders.
• Establish expectations for patient care continuity, such as activity or physical therapy notes, post-intervention pain reassessment, and end-of-shift handoff documentation.

Skilled per diem nurses can quickly adapt to unit workflows, policies, documentation systems, and team dynamics to ensure that patient care outcomes are prioritized. At Meda Health, we connect healthcare facilities with thoroughly screened, credentialed, and unit-ready per diem nurses who can step in when staffing needs arise. By matching qualified nurses to each facility’s clinical requirements and workflows, we’re able to help maintain safe, consistent, high-quality patient care throughout the year. Learn more about our solutions here.