Pain Assessment

Definition of Pain	■ Whatever the Pt says it is, existing whenever the Pt says it exists. ■ Pain is the “fifth vital sign.” Always include it with every assessment!
Cultural Factors	■ Beliefs about pain and how to respond to it differ between cultures. ■ Must be considered to manage pain effectively.
Numerical Pain Scale
0      1      2                                                       3      4      5                                                          6      7      8                                                                   9      10