emotional state, unconcious patient

gwenith, BSN, RN · Aug 18, 2004

I answered you on the other thread. I think you are talking about the faces pain scale which actually does not have anything to do with emotional state of unconscious patients.

merricat · Aug 31, 2004

:uhoh21: I am a Rad Tech looking for a specific piece of nursing information. What is the correct name for the chart of "happy faces" that can help to identify the emotional state of an unconcious patient? I have seen this chart laminated and attached to the crash cart in ICU. And if you can figure out what I am talking about, where could I go to find a copy of this document?

at my facility we use a laminated sheet with faces on it for pain assessment. i work at long term care though so maybe this is different thant your facility. my work makes the sheet up itself-- not ready-made. the faces are not used as an indicator of emotional state or of pain level (not what i would assume from just glancing at the sheet but that is the facts). the faces are used to help "pts who have very little abstract thinking ability and think almost concretely." (severe dementia, etc). you showe them the faces and let them decide. in this case you are just trying to get them to self report. maybe this is a totally different tool than tyou need--if so sorry--

Carrie162 · Sep 9, 2004

:uhoh21: I am a Rad Tech looking for a specific piece of nursing information. What is the correct name for the chart of "happy faces" that can help to identify the emotional state of an unconcious patient? I have seen this chart laminated and attached to the crash cart in ICU. And if you can figure out what I am talking about, where could I go to find a copy of this document?

The Happy faces that are used to rate pain in a nonverbal resident or other resident that is unable to use the 1-10 scale are called Wong-Baker Faces. (I think). Unconscious patients are not my area of expertise, but isn't there some kind of a coma scale?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2004

Neither the Glascow Coma Scale nor the Wong-Baker chart have anything to do with the "emotional state" of an unconscious person. I don't think such a person has an emotional state.

http://www.trauma.org/scores/gcs.html

http://www3.us.elsevierhealth.com/WOW/facesPermission.html

merricat · Sep 11, 2004

isnt reading peoples facial expressions learned, like, as soon as we are born, practically? isn't it pretty much universal-- what facial expressions mean? i am pretty sure this is what the shrinks are saying. so why would anyone need a chart to tell them what a pt feels? also, wouldn't such a chart be kind of unethical since pts are supposed to be encouraged to self-report?

RN92 · Sep 11, 2004

The face scale is helpful with children, especially. It would be nearly impossible to get a 6yr old to rate their pain 1-10. You cant always tell by "reading someones face". People handle pain differently. It also is useful with pts who dont speak English. In the ER, we cant always wait on the interpreter. You do have to be conscious to use it, though. Its great that you are willing to research something you dont understand.