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Pain scoring as a formal pain assessment tool

Helen Taylor Pain Control Co-ordinator, Warwick Hospital

This article describes the introduction of subjective pain scoring as a pain assessment tool to the surgical unit of a district general hospital. The author highlights the advantages, and explains the actions taken to overcome the problems of changing practice through the introduction of a formal pain assessment tool

The working party report by the Royal College of Surgeons and The College of Anaesthetists (1990) concluded that the management of pain after surgery was unsatisfactory. A number of studies were cited showing that a significant number of patients experienced an unacceptable degree of pain after surgery. The report made several recommendations, including:

■

Hospital staff education should be improved and traditional attitudes to post-operative pain relief challenged

■

Pain should be assessed and recorded systematically, involving the patient whenever possible

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New methods of pain control should be introduced and existing methods used more effectively

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Audit should take place along with continuous appraisal of activity.

Nursing Standard. 11, 35, 40-42. doi: 10.7748/ns.11.35.40.s49

Keywords :

■ Pain relief - ■ Post-operative pain

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21 May 1997 / Vol 11 issue 35

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