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Quality of Care42 CFR §483.25(k)
F0697 — Pain Management
F0697 requires facilities to ensure that pain management is provided to residents who require such services, consistent with professional standards and the resident's assessed needs and goals. This covers both assessment (is pain being recognized) and treatment (is it being managed appropriately).
Common Deficiency Examples
- Pain not consistently assessed or reassessed per protocol
- PRN pain medication not administered timely despite resident report or observed distress signs
- Non-pharmacological pain interventions in the care plan not implemented
- Pain management plan not adjusted despite ineffective control
What Your Plan of Correction Needs
F0697 PoCs should distinguish between an assessment gap and a treatment-delivery gap, since the fix differs:
Clinical factswhat assessment or treatment step was missed or delayed
Immediate actionresident pain reassessment and care plan update
Systemic fixassessment tool/frequency, PRN administration workflow, or care plan review process
Monitoring planpain assessment documentation audits at a defined frequency
Frequently Asked Questions
Does F0697 apply to residents who can't self-report pain?+
Yes — facilities are expected to use appropriate observational pain assessment tools for residents with cognitive impairment or communication barriers, not rely solely on self-report.
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