Pain Management Nurse Career Overview

Pain management nurses assess patients’ pain and identify the best way to assist them. These nurses also teach patients and their families how to cope with and manage pain on their own. This is particularly important due to the recent spike in opioid addiction.

Many pain management nurses now turn to nonpharmaceutical or alternative ways to alleviate pain, such as acupuncture, chiropractic medicine, spinal blocks, lifestyle changes, and stress and relaxation techniques.

Pain management nurses work in many settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, doctors’ offices, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, oncology departments, and sports medicine clinics. Below are some differences between pain management nurses’ responsibilities in each setting.

Pain management nurses evaluate patients’ pain source and level and administer pain medications through intravenous, intramuscular, or intrathecal techniques.

Nurses educate patients on responsible pain management, provide pharmacological treatment in a controlled setting, and may administer noninvasive treatments like relaxation exercises or massages.

Pain management nurses assist doctors with pain relief therapies for cancer patients, administering medication while teaching patients about responsible consumption.

To make an informed decision about whether this is the right career path for you, consider the pros and cons of becoming a pain management nurse.

According to data from PayScale, pain management nurses earn an average base salary of $60,000. However, salaries vary according to location, experience, and education level, with earnings ranging from $28,000 to $78,000 among top earners.

Like other nurses, pain management nurses face an optimistic job outlook. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of RNs could grow much faster than average, increasing by over 220,000 jobs through 2029 at a 7% growth rate. This is largely due to an aging population demanding more medical care as baby boomers grow older.

Attending an accredited school is essential. The accreditation process evaluates institutions and programs, ensuring that they adhere to quality standards. Aspiring nurses must hold an accredited degree to sit for the NCLEX-RN, apply for licensure, and find employment.

It can take 5-8 years to become a certified pain management nurse, or even longer for part-time nursing students. Individuals can earn nursing licensure through a two-year ADN or four-year BSN program. Candidates also need three years of RN work experience to qualify for professional certification.

Pain management nurses assess pain through several different methods, all of which require a patient’s verbal input. Nurses may ask patients to rate their pain level on a numeric scale or identify a facial expression on the Wong-Baker Scale. Nurses may also request a multidimensional assessment, asking questions about the intensity and type of pain the patient feels in each body part.

To avoid the risk of opioid addiction, many pain management nurses and doctors introduce patients to alternative treatments. These may include exercise or diet changes, yoga and meditation, acupuncture, chiropractic medicine, spinal blocks, or botox injections.