A comparison of patients' and nurses' assessments of pain intensity in patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract

Self-report of pain is the single most reliable indicator of pain intensity. The purpose of this study was to compare patients' and nurses' ratings of patients' pain. The sample comprised 76 patients and 65 nurses in coronary care units that rated the patient's pain intensity on a 0-10 numeric rating scale. Results showed that the mean scores of nurses were lower than their patients significantly (P < 0.01). Also, nurses assessed patients' pain intensity accurately 60% of the time. Overestimations and underestimations were 12.4% and 27.6% respectively. In addition, there were positive, moderate and significant correlations between patients' and nurses' ratings (r = 0.41, P < 0.001). Underestimation of patient's pain can have negative effects if appropriate treatment is withheld. This emphasizes the importance of a systematic assessment and acceptance of the patient's self-reported of pain.

Ethnic Differences in Nonverbal Pain Behaviors Observed in Older Adults with Dementia

“…It is also interesting that higher pain intensity ratings were not noted in this sample since the majority of CNAs (83%) in this study were women and women are typically more sensitive to the pain experiences of others and more likely to infer higher pain intensities (Davoudi, Afsharzadeh, Mohammadalizadeh, & Haghdoost, 2008). However, it is also possible that the CNAs underestimated the pain experiences, as commonly cited in the literature (Prkachin, Solomon, & Ross, 2007).…”

Evaluation of Nurses' Self-Insight Into Their Pain Assessment and Treatment Decisions

“…Across a range of conditions and settings, nurses often underestimate pain compared to patient self-report9,15,27,43,48,53,55,56,60. Many reasons likely exist for these discrepancies, including provider biases and lack of insight into decision-making processes, which were primary considerations in this study.…”

Patient demographic characteristics and facial expressions influence nurses’ assessment of mood in the context of pain: A Virtual Human and lens model investigation

“…Research indicates that healthcare providers – nurses in particular – are prone to underestimate the severity of patient pain compared to self-report, and that there is variability in pain ratings between and within provider types (Choiniere et al, 1990; Davoudi et al, 2008; Green et al, 2001; Green and Wheeler, 2003; Luger et al, 2003; Sloman et al, 2005). Relatively little has been published concerning the accuracy of nurses’ assessment of patient emotional status in general and in the context of pain in particular.…”