Describing "pain goal" to patients

[delphine22]

As part of our admission process on the floor, I must find out what the patient's "pain goal" is (on the 0-10 scale) and write it on the whiteboard. It is our goal to keep the pt's pain at that number or better, though we might not be able to meet that goal based on their particular diagnosis.

My problem is getting the number. I'd like to put a "2" for everyone but when I have an oriented patient I need to get them to tell me. People will say "I have a high tolerance for pain, say 7." Well no, we don't want 7 to be your pain goal. At the risk of telling people their answer isn't the one I want. . .obviously I am scripting this wrong, because people never seem to be able to understand what the heck I am asking them.

When asking the patients for their pain goal number, how do you phrase it?

[systoly]

ask them about their experiences

what event caused your pain to be 7

what event is a 2

at what number do you do something about it and what,etc.

for me personally, a 2 would be completely unrealistic first and second

day post op, more like 6-7 first day and 5-6 second day, but i have

intolerance to narcotics

[delphine22]

My floor is a cardiac PCU/chest pain floor. Most of my patients are NOT in acute pain when they come to me, but I still need to document a possible/future "goal." Postop is easier to understand. But they're like, well, I'm not in pain, but if I were, how much would be OK?

[systoly]

ask them about their experiences

what event caused your pain to be 7

what event is a 2

at what number do you do something about it and what,etc.

for me personally, a 2 would be completely unrealistic first and second

day post op, more like 6-7 first day and 5-6 second day, but i have

intolerance to narcotics

si tacuisses philosophus mansisses

sorry delphine 22, I know nothing about your domain

[delphine22]

si tacuisses philosophus mansisses

Wish it were that easy, systoly. I have 12 different computer tabs of questions to ask, including hobbies, level of education, and whether they feel their hospitalization could cause them problems in their sex life (I am not kidding). I skip over most of them, but if you don't have to deal with HCAHPS questions asking if pain is relieved...then I envy you.

The rest of us are required to document a pain goal and stick to it. Which is made even more ridiculous when my pts generally aren't in pain to begin with (at least by the time they leave the ED with a NTG patch on and come to me).

But again, thanks for the words of encouragement.

[toomuchbaloney]

Wish it were that easy, systoly. I have 12 different computer tabs of questions to ask, including hobbies, level of education, and whether they feel their hospitalization could cause them problems in their sex life (I am not kidding). I skip over most of them, but if you don't have to deal with HCAHPS questions asking if pain is relieved...then I envy you.

The rest of us are required to document a pain goal and stick to it. Which is made even more ridiculous when my pts generally aren't in pain to begin with (at least by the time they leave the ED with a NTG patch on and come to me).

But again, thanks for the words of encouragement.

I'm guessing that many of your patients may have a concern that their chest pain, symptoms, and underlying disease processes will adversely affect their sex life, particularly the men.

[systoly]

si tacuisses ..... was directed at myself

i merely tried to say my initial response to your post was not helpful

turns out i'm 2 for 2 :)

[delphine22]

Sorry. I thought you meant I was talking too much to my patients and getting in the way of their own honest assessment of their pain. Text loses tone. But I'd gladly trade the occasional misunderstanding the get the feedback of great nurses across the world. :-)

[systoly]

no problem

have you considered posting in the cardiac forum