Measuring pain clinically Flashcards
Why do clinicians quantify pain?
because it is a symptom which often indicates an underlying pathology
The clinical measurement of pain aids in the diagnosis of the cause of pain and also serves as what?
the means to monitor the pain, and also monitor the effectiveness of the treatment
What can an inaccurate measurement of pain lead to?
potentially lead to inappropriate or ineffective treatment
What is the “gold standard” for the assessment of pain?
Got you, presently there is none
What two basic principles govern the clinical measurement of pain?
- the patient is the only authority to properly evaluate his/her pain
- Pain should be evaluated in terms of its impact on the person as a whole
Who is the only one that can measure pain?
only the patient
- pain perception is unique to each individual and therefore not debatable
Can clinicians rely solely on their judgement?
No they must also rely on patient self-reporting
What are the quantifiable components of the pain experience?
- pain intensity
- physical capacity
- spatial attributes
- pain quality
- psychological component
What is pain intensity?
how strong or intense is the pain
- clinical measure: Wong-Baker, FACES Scale, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Oral Pain Scale (OPS), LOCQSMAT
What is Physical capacity?
Does the pain prevent you from performing or make it difficult to perform certain activities
- clinical measure: LOCQSMAT (impact on activities of daily living: ADLs)
What is spatial attributes?
questions like “Where is the pain?”
- clinical measure: Pain drawing LOCQSMAT
What is pain quality?
The way a person describes the pain in their own words
- clinical measurement: LOCQSMAT
What is the psychological component?
The way the pain is affecting the patients mood/emotional well-being
-clinical measurement: Beck Depression inventory
What is the Wong-Baker faces pain rating scale?
the faces in hospitals that have 0 being “no hurt” and 10 being “hurts the worst”
