title: Assessment of pain in a Norwegian Emergency Department.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although pain management is a fundamental aspect of care in emergency departments (EDs), inadequate treatment of pain is unfortunately common. There are multiple local protocols for pain assessment in the ED. This study evaluated whether the initial assessment and treatment of pain in the ED are in accordance with the in-hospital protocol of the ED at a Norwegian University Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective data on pain assessment and initial treatment in the ED were collected from nursing and physician documentation. The patients' perceptions of subjective pain were recorded using a numerical rating scale (NRS) that ranged from 0 to 10.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-seven percent of the 764 enrolled patients were evaluated for pain at arrival. Female patients had a higher probability of not being asked about pain, but there was no difference in the percentage of patients asked about pain with respect to age. Additionally, patients with low oxygen saturation and systolic blood pressure were less likely to be asked about pain. Of those with moderate and severe pain (58 %), only 14 % received pain relief.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessment and treatment of pain in the ED are inadequate and not in line with the local protocols. A focus on strategies to improve pain treatment in the ED is a necessary aspect of developing optimal acute patient care in Norway in the future.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Clinic of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Care, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Jostein
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Clinic of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Care, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. larspb@me.com.
authors.forename: Lars Petter
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Bjørnsen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012737:Sex Factors