Pain Assesement Tool Essay

Pain is a common experience for most people (Kingdon et al, 1998). McCaffery   (1980) states “pain is what the patients says it is and exists when the patient says it does”.   This is one of the most widely used definitions of pain (Cunningham, 2001) however, if a patient does not say they are in pain how can a nurse identify   their   pain? Seers (1987) argues that patients do not always tell the nurse that pain has arisen and that they often expect the nurse to know. Therefore effective assessment of pain is a vital part of nursing care.   Lawler (1997) maintains that good communication skills are vital in assessing pain in patients.   The implementation and rationale for using pain assessment tools is focused on within this essay, with limitations of use being discussed and   analysed.

Pain management   is optimised by increasing our understanding of the neurobiology of pain, combined alongside interactions with the patient, coupled with science and knowledge combined with empathy and humanity (Ducharme, 2000).   Since the publication of Melzack & Walls (1965) gate control theory of pain, psychology has been accepted as an integral discipline in the study of pain (Skevington, 1995). The physiological and pharmacological aspects of acute pain, and its management are discussed and analysed within this essay. Acute pain management is more than a collection of interventions, it is a package of care which requires examination as a whole, as well as in its parts (McQuay & Moore, 1998).

Holistic nursing care encompasses not only the physical aspects, but also the psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects of human nature. Anxiety can play a major role in an individuals pain experience (Kennerley, 1995).   This is an area which is also explored within this essay, with specific focus on reducing anxiety levels by effective communication and development of a therapeutic relationship.   Communication is a vital skill within the nursing process to enable accurate...