title: Healthcare professionals' perceptions of the use of pain scales in postoperative pain assessments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe how healthcare professionals perceive the use of pain scales in postoperative care.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Pain scales are important but not an obvious choice to use in postoperative care. No study has explored how healthcare professionals experience the use of pain scales.
  
  
  METHODS
  An explorative design with a phenomenographic approach was used. The sample consisted of 25 healthcare professionals. Semistructured interviews were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four descriptive categories emerged - the use of pain scales facilitated the understanding of postoperative pain, facilitated treatment, demanded a multidimensional approach and was affected by work situations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Healthcare professionals described that pain scales contribute to the understanding of patient's postoperative pain. It is important to ensure patient understanding and be aware about variations in pain ratings. Dialogue and observations are necessary to be certain what the ratings mean to the patient. The use of pain scales depends on patient's needs and organization.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden; Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden. Electronic address: charlotta.wikstrom@lj.se.
authors.forename: Lotta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wikström
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden; Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden. Electronic address: kerstin.eriksson@lj.se.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden; Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Nursing Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Palliative Research Centre, Ersta Sköndal University College and Ersta Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: kristofer.arestedt@lnu.se.
authors.forename: Kristofer
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Årestedt
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden. Electronic address: Bengt.Frinlund@hhj.hj.se.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fridlund
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: anders.brostrom@hhj.hj.se.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Broström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Pain assessments; Pain scales; Postoperative pain