Pain is a challenging area to understand for any healthcare professional, and quality training on the subject is required if nurses are to provide effective pain management and person-centred care. Based on the curriculum developed by the International Association for the Study of Pain, this book offers an essential guide to managing pain. It begins with an examination of the biology of pain, and then goes on to consider pain management across the lifecourse, looking at key topics including acute pain, cancer pain and pharmacology. Case scenarios are included throughout the book to help readers apply the knowledge they have learned to their own practice.It will be valuable reading for undergraduate nurses, and essential for those taking continuing professional development and postgraduate courses in pain management.

The Assessment and Measurement of Pain

The Assessment and Measurement of Pain

The assessment and measurement of pain

Learning Objectives

The learning objectives of this chapter are to:

  • recognize the rationale for pain assessment and measurement
  • understand the various components of comprehensive pain assessment
  • identify the frequently utilized pain assessment and measurement tools
  • select an appropriate tool for a particular patient population

Introduction

This chapter discusses the principles of pain assessment and management and identifies several straightforward, recommended tools appropriate to the clinical and community setting for different populations across the life span.

Rationale for Pain Assessment, Measurement and Documentation

Assessment of pain refers to evaluation of the overall characteristics of the patient's pain experience which include pain onset, location, intensity, chronology, pattern of pain duration, exacerbating and relieving factors, the patient's way of expressing their pain and the patient's ...

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