{"id":6608,"date":"2019-12-19T08:40:13","date_gmt":"2019-12-19T13:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelnursesource.com\/notes\/?p=6608"},"modified":"2019-12-19T08:40:13","modified_gmt":"2019-12-19T13:40:13","slug":"pain-assessment-nursing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelnursesource.com\/notes\/pain-assessment-nursing","title":{"rendered":"How To Be Successful at Pain Assessment Nursing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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Pain assessment nursing is challenging, especially for travel nurses! You\u2019re popping into different healthcare facilities who may treat pain differently, and you are caring for patients who you don\u2019t necessarily know as well as you would if you were their nurse full time. However, it\u2019s easier if you understand the background challenges of assessing pain, why it is so important, and what tools are available to you so that you can evaluate pain successfully. Let\u2019s dive in!<\/p>\n

What is pain assessment nursing?<\/h2>\n

Pain assessment is exactly as it sounds \u2013 assessing patients\u2019 pain levels to determine how to help them. There are two types of pain \u2013 acute and chronic. Acute pain is the type of pain patients experience after surgery or injury. Chronic pain is something long term that is typically caused by a disease or illness. Chronic pain is hard to manage because it\u2019s ongoing and relentless. Although acute pain sounds easier to work with, historically speaking, healthcare providers have not been the best at helping patients manage this pain, according to a report in the National Center for Biotechnology Information<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"pain<\/p>\n

Find Pain Management Travel Nurse Jobs!<\/a><\/h2>\n

Why is pain assessment nursing so challenging?<\/h2>\n

Pain assessment is challenging because it\u2019s hard to know exactly what a patient\u2019s pain levels are. Some patients exaggerate their pain levels in order to get more medicine. Others downplay their pain levels because they are \u201ctough\u201d or just have a better pain tolerance. For this reason, there are different methods of pain assessment you can use in order to get a better handle on the type of pain your patient is experiencing. There are many factors that play into how you approach each patient, such as their age, their pain treatment history, and whether you\u2019re trying to treat them for chronic or acute pain.<\/p>\n

What happens when pain is left unmanaged?<\/h2>\n

When pain is left unmanaged, patients can experience so many other symptoms aside from the physical pain. These include anxiety, depression, and even a weakened immune system.<\/p>\n

When someone is in pain, it is irritating and often leads them to feel anxious. The pain can also prevent them from doing the things that they like to do. This can lead to isolation and depression. Lastly, mental health plays a huge role in physical health, and over time feeling down and out mentally can actually lead to patients getting sick more often. So, how can you as a nurse ask the right questions so that you are assessing pain properly?<\/p>\n

Are you asking patients the right questions?<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s find out\u2026 are you asking patients the right questions when it comes to pain assessment nursing?<\/p>\n

First, it\u2019s important to understand your patient\u2019s medical history when it comes to pain and any previous pain treatment they received. You should find out:<\/p>\n