title: The pain experience of inpatients in a teaching hospital: revisiting a strategic priority.
abstract: For hospital executives and clinicians to improve pain management, organizations must examine the current pain experience of in-patients beyond simply measuring patient satisfaction. The aim of this study was to quantify the prevalence of pain among adult in-patients and the degree of interference pain had on daily activities. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was undertaken in a 530 bed tertiary care, teaching hospital in central Canada. A convenience sample (N = 88) of adult medical-surgical patients completed the Short Form-Brief Pain Inventory survey. Pain prevalence was 70.4%. The mean pain severity score was 3.76 (standard deviation, SD = 2.88) and mean pain interference score on daily activities was 4.56 (SD = 3.93). The most frequently identified site of pain was the lower extremities (n = 15, 28%). Women had higher mean scores on pain "right now" compared to men (p < 0.05). The sample majority (n = 81) indicated hospital staff asked about the presence of pain. Seventy-nine percent (n = 57) reported hospital staff "always" did everything they could to help manage pain. Eighty-four percent (n = 61) selected "always" or "usually" to describe their ability to be involved in deciding pain treatments. The mean pain relief score from treatments was 61% (SD = 34.79). Significant positive correlations were found between pain intensity ratings and pain interference on all daily activities (p < 0.001). Pain prevalence remains high with a significant relationship between pain and activities of daily living. The study provides baseline data to direct future initiatives at improving pain management.
authors.affiliation: Medicine Program, St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Electronic address: kjabusch@sbgh.mb.ca.
authors.forename: Kimberly M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Jabusch
authors.affiliation: Woman & Child Program, St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lewthwaite
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation and Geriatrics Program, St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Lynda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Mandzuk
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Sciences Program, St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Karen N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Schnell-Hoehn
authors.affiliation: Woman & Child Program, St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Wheeler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012647:Self-Assessment