The participants included 12 RNs who worked full time, ranging in age from 23 to 49 (median age: 38 years). Most of the nurses were female (n = 9) and all participants had at least a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing Sciences (see Table 1)
The main theme that emerged was termed “patient-evidence assessment in clinical practice”. The categories that described the nurses’ experiences of pain assessment in a surgical ward included: (i) double/triple check system, (ii) communication via records and protocols, and (iii) using skills and experience (see Table 2). Nurses mainly collected objective evidence of patients’ pain using multiple scales as a basis for their pain management strategies. This monitoring of patients and their pain was done routinely every 4 h in the surgical ward, and included using pain scores as the fifth vital sign (i.e., temperature, respiratory rate, blood pressure, heart rate and pain scores) until they were discharged from the hospital. If the patient was asleep, the assessment was completed shortly after the patient had woken up. Each of the three categories is presented below and supported with participants’ quotations.
Table 2
Overview of codes, categories and a theme developed from the content analysis of pain assessment the Thai nurses in surgical wards.
Double/triple check system
The nurses described the procedure they used when assessing patients’ pain; this procedure is a double/triple check system, a multi-method approach to pain assessment involving the following: (i) using a verbal scale to assess pain, (ii) judging patients’ pain based on appearance and mobility, and (iii) consulting the patients’ documentation. The nurses and nurses’ aides used face scales and a numeric scale as tools in their routine practice. Nursing aides recorded pain scores every 4 h, and the nurses would re-assess all those patients with pains scores higher than five according to the hospital’s protocol of pain management in the hospital. Below is an excerpt of an interview with one of the participants:
‘For me, I assess pain by looking at their facial expressions and asking about their level of pain to give it a score’ (Advanced 5)
The nurses must reassess a patients’ pain if they have a pain score higher than five (out of ten) or if the patient has requested pain medication. The nurses mentioned that it was difficult to correctly assess and manage the patients’ pain level, and to decide when to give pain medication. An example of this is seen in the following excerpt:
I always ask the patients, ’Are you in pain?’ Em…I have noticed one in three of the patients is in pain. He had told me he had mild pain level, estimated as two or three (out of ten). But he changed his habits, becoming agitated and complaining of discomfort, like colicky pain, and he became a bit aggressive. And he was moving around in his bed…he expressed it as being quite painful. I then have to judge whether to give him pain medication or not. (Beginner 2)
The nurses also judged patients’ pain based on their appearance and mobility, and investigated any potential complications by conducting physical examinations. The nurses often rechecked the pain levels in order to clarify and ensure that the recorded pain levels corresponded to the causes of the pain and suffering. Nurse’s conducted physical examinations through abdominal examination and noted any abdominal distention, the presence or absence of pain, any bleeding from the wound, whether the bladder was full and so on, in order to determine if the patients were still in pain and if their pain scores had reduced. After completing the examination, the nurses notified the physician. Below is an example excerpt describing this examination:
I have examined his wound and investigated his lower-left or right abdomen as to whether or not there was distension. Perhaps the patient had a full bladder that feels painful. I asked if the patient has any post-operative pain on the second day of recovery. Then, I observed how he walked by himself, to see if he felt pain after physical activity. (Advanced 3)
Moreover, as the following excerpt illustrates, the nurses often referred to ‘consulting the patients’ documentation’ when conducting the pain assessment, as is illustrated in the following excerpt:
I just look at the pain record as plot graphs in the graphic sheets. The physicians usually check the patients' progress as well as pain management levels by looking at the recorded vital signs on the graphic sheets… This is the information they use…to make judgments and decisions about administering pain medication. Some patients might need to decrease medication if the level of pain has been decreasing according to the graphs. (Competent 1)
The documentation was recorded six times per day (in 4-h cycles) for all patients, in accordance with the hospital’s protocol for pain management.
The participants included 12 RNs who worked full time, ranging in age from 23 to 49 (median age: 38 years). Most of the nurses were female (n = 9) and all participants had at least a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing Sciences (see Table 1)The main theme that emerged was termed “patient-evidence assessment in clinical practice”. The categories that described the nurses’ experiences of pain assessment in a surgical ward included: (i) double/triple check system, (ii) communication via records and protocols, and (iii) using skills and experience (see Table 2). Nurses mainly collected objective evidence of patients’ pain using multiple scales as a basis for their pain management strategies. This monitoring of patients and their pain was done routinely every 4 h in the surgical ward, and included using pain scores as the fifth vital sign (i.e., temperature, respiratory rate, blood pressure, heart rate and pain scores) until they were discharged from the hospital. If the patient was asleep, the assessment was completed shortly after the patient had woken up. Each of the three categories is presented below and supported with participants’ quotations.Table 2Overview of codes, categories and a theme developed from the content analysis of pain assessment the Thai nurses in surgical wards.Double/triple check systemThe nurses described the procedure they used when assessing patients’ pain; this procedure is a double/triple check system, a multi-method approach to pain assessment involving the following: (i) using a verbal scale to assess pain, (ii) judging patients’ pain based on appearance and mobility, and (iii) consulting the patients’ documentation. The nurses and nurses’ aides used face scales and a numeric scale as tools in their routine practice. Nursing aides recorded pain scores every 4 h, and the nurses would re-assess all those patients with pains scores higher than five according to the hospital’s protocol of pain management in the hospital. Below is an excerpt of an interview with one of the participants:‘For me, I assess pain by looking at their facial expressions and asking about their level of pain to give it a score’ (Advanced 5)The nurses must reassess a patients’ pain if they have a pain score higher than five (out of ten) or if the patient has requested pain medication. The nurses mentioned that it was difficult to correctly assess and manage the patients’ pain level, and to decide when to give pain medication. An example of this is seen in the following excerpt:I always ask the patients, ’Are you in pain?’ Em…I have noticed one in three of the patients is in pain. He had told me he had mild pain level, estimated as two or three (out of ten). But he changed his habits, becoming agitated and complaining of discomfort, like colicky pain, and he became a bit aggressive. And he was moving around in his bed…he expressed it as being quite painful. I then have to judge whether to give him pain medication or not. (Beginner 2)The nurses also judged patients’ pain based on their appearance and mobility, and investigated any potential complications by conducting physical examinations. The nurses often rechecked the pain levels in order to clarify and ensure that the recorded pain levels corresponded to the causes of the pain and suffering. Nurse’s conducted physical examinations through abdominal examination and noted any abdominal distention, the presence or absence of pain, any bleeding from the wound, whether the bladder was full and so on, in order to determine if the patients were still in pain and if their pain scores had reduced. After completing the examination, the nurses notified the physician. Below is an example excerpt describing this examination:I have examined his wound and investigated his lower-left or right abdomen as to whether or not there was distension. Perhaps the patient had a full bladder that feels painful. I asked if the patient has any post-operative pain on the second day of recovery. Then, I observed how he walked by himself, to see if he felt pain after physical activity. (Advanced 3)Moreover, as the following excerpt illustrates, the nurses often referred to ‘consulting the patients’ documentation’ when conducting the pain assessment, as is illustrated in the following excerpt:I just look at the pain record as plot graphs in the graphic sheets. The physicians usually check the patients' progress as well as pain management levels by looking at the recorded vital signs on the graphic sheets… This is the information they use…to make judgments and decisions about administering pain medication. Some patients might need to decrease medication if the level of pain has been decreasing according to the graphs. (Competent 1)The documentation was recorded six times per day (in 4-h cycles) for all patients, in accordance with the hospital’s protocol for pain management.
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