Congruence of pain assessment between nurses and emergency department patients: a replication.
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain congruence between patients' self-report of pain intensity and nurses' assessment of their pain intensity.


METHODS
This study adopted a replication methodology which aimed to ascertain congruence between patients' self-report of pain intensity and nurses' assessment of their pain intensity. Raw statistical data was analysed using SPSS for windows.


RESULTS
This study supports the findings of the original US study that emergency nurses frequently underestimate patients' pain intensity. However, this study also found incidents where nurses accurately assessed their patients' pain intensity, and incidences of overestimation.


CONCLUSIONS
This study illustrates underestimation of patients' pain intensity by emergency nurses which is both clinically and statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Implications for nursing practice include a need for assessment of patients' pain intensity, the development of pain management protocols, and increased emphasis on education in both undergraduate and postgraduate nursing curricula. Also there needs to be continued clinical audit of pain management standards.
Emergency Department, Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, Co. Meath, Ireland. martin.duignan@hse.ie
Martin
M
Duignan
Virginia
V
Dunn
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015982:Bias; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000592:standards; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires