J0200: Should Pain Assessment Interview Be Conducted?

J0200: Should Pain Assessment Interview Be Conducted?

Item Rationale

Health-related Quality of Life

• Most residents who are capable of communicating can answer questions about how they feel.

• Obtaining information about pain directly from the resident, sometimes called “hearing the resident’s voice,” is more reliable and accurate than observation alone for identifying pain.

Planning for Care

• Interview allows the resident’s voice to be reflected in the care plan.

• Information about pain that comes directly from the resident provides symptom-specific information for individualized care planning.

Steps for Assessment

1. Interact with the resident using their preferred language. Be sure they can hear you and/or have access to their preferred method for communication. If the resident appears unable to communicate, offer alternatives such as writing, pointing, sign language, or cue cards.

2. Determine whether or not the resident is rarely/never understood verbally, in writing, or using another method. If the resident is rarely/never understood, skip to item J0800, Indicators of Pain or Possible Pain.

3. Review Language item (A1110) to determine whether or not the resident needs or wants an interpreter.

• If the resident needs or wants an interpreter, complete the interview with an interpreter.

Coding Instructions

Attempt to complete the interview with all residents.

• Code 0, no: if the resident is rarely/never understood or an interpreter is required but not available. Skip to Indicators of Pain or Possible Pain item (J0800).

• Code 1, yes: if the resident is at least sometimes understood and an interpreter is present or not required. Continue to Pain Presence.

Coding Tips and Special Populations

• Attempt to conduct the interview with ALL residents. This interview is conducted during the look-back period of the Assessment Reference Date (ARD) and is not contingent upon item B0700, Makes Self Understood.

• If the resident interview should have been conducted, but was not done within the lookback period of the ARD (except when an interpreter is needed/requested and unavailable), item J0200 must be coded 1, Yes, and the standard “no information” code (a dash “—”) entered in the Pain Assessment Interview items (J0300–J0600). Item J0700, Should the Staff Assessment for Pain be Conducted?, is coded 0, No.

• Do not complete the Staff Assessment for Pain items (J0800–J0850) if the Pain Assessment Interview should have been conducted but was not done.

• If it is not possible for an interpreter to be present during the look-back period, code J0200 = 0 to indicate the Pain Assessment Interview was not attempted, skip the Pain Assessment Interview items (J0300–J0600), and complete the Staff Assessment of Pain item (J0800).