Pain Assessment in the Patient Unable to Self- Report: Clinical Practice Recommendations in Support of the ASPMN 2024 Position Statement

Pain Manag Nurs. 2024 Dec;25(6):551-568. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2024.09.010. Epub 2024 Nov 8.

Abstract

Recognizing and managing pain is especially challenging for vulnerable populations who cannot communicate their discomfort. Because there is no valid and reliable objective measure of pain, the American Society for Pain Management Nursing advocates for comprehensive assessment practices articulated in a Hierarchy of Pain Assessment. These practices must gather relevant information to infer the presence of pain and evaluate a patient's response to treatment. Nurses and other healthcare providers must be advocates for those who cannot communicate their pain experience.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Pain Management / methods
  • Pain Management / nursing
  • Pain Management / standards
  • Pain Measurement* / methods
  • Pain Measurement* / nursing
  • Pain Measurement* / standards
  • Self Report
  • Societies, Nursing