Context: Assessment and management of pain for nursing home residents is frequently reported to be inadequate, yet few studies have used objective criteria to measure the quality of care related to pain. Objective: Field test a standardized resident interview and medical record review protocol to assess and score quality indicators relevant to pain. Design: Descriptive. Setting: Thirty nursing homes (NHs). Participants: Seven hundred ninety-four residents met overall eligibility criteria.

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... y indicators were scored for those residents who met specific eligibility requirements for each pain indicator. Measurements: Medical record reviews were completed for 542 participants, and data were used to score 12 indicators related to pain assessment, management, and response to treatment. A seven-item pain interview was attempted with all 794 participants and completed with 478 participants who were rated by NH staff as cognitively aware.