lezanne

What do you use to assess your patients chronic pain? Do you use a pain scale & what type? How do most of your patients respond to the pain scale?

In outpatient we use the pain scale of 0 to 10 then have another written complete assessment if the patient has pain. The problem I see is that most of the patients having pain rate their pain at 5 or above no matter what medication or treatment they are on.

The average patient I see in outpatient always states pain level of 5 or greater on the scale of 0 to 10. Very few with chronic pain state pain levels of 4 or less. I am researching to see what other nurses have noticed. It is a individual response but when the pain scale was used of 0 to 5, paients went 4 to 5. Patients seem to always go to the high end of the spectrum. What do you see as the most common response for Chronic Pain How do you teach pain management to your patients? Do you use the pain scale? Handouts with pictures or written material?? DO you feel your patients comprehend the pain scale???

THe VA has just launched a new traveling nursing program. Contact the HR Dept & ask whom you need to contact.

I don't have the information handy right now. Your nurse manager should be giving you all the information and also help you with your proficiency including giving you different examples to use. Also keep a file for yourself & put in the file anything you think was outstanding in you proformance for the following year

Doyou use the pain scale 0 to 10? How do most of your patients comprehend the scale? Do you use additional handouts to educate each patient? And what do ou use? Pictures or written material? I am finding that most patient state ranges from 6 to 10. Very few rate their pain below 5.