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Pain Assessment & Measurement Guidelines
Statement: "Without regular pain assessment and measurement, pain is undertreated." (reference)The International Association for the Study of Pain
Evaluation PQRST:
The PQRST method is easy to remind way to do complete pain assessment. This document will follow this approach to guide you in you practice. Your objective is that this method becomes a routine in your daily pain assessment.
P: Precipitating factors Q: Quality of pain R: Radiating pain S: Severity of pain Pain scales at the MCH How to introduce a pain scale Pain measurement with the critically ill patient T: Temporal factor
Purpose of pain assessment and measurement:
- All patients have the right to have their pain treated (Patient Pain Manifesto CPS, 2001).
- Effective alleviation of pain depends on accurate pain assessment, measurement and documentation.
- Untreated pain may result in the unchecked release of stress hormones, which may exacerbate illness, prevent wound healing, lead to infection, prolong hospitalization and increase the risk of death.
How do we distinguish Assessment and Measurement? Pain measurement has been traditionally applied to rate pain intensity, generally using a metric scale for proportional evaluation. Assessment on the other hand is a broader concept of the combined measurement itself in connection with the multidimensional pain experience. The key is not only to assign a nominal value to pain, but how to apply appropriate relief measures in a useful and therapeutic process
Indications/expectations for assessment and measurement:
- Pain assessment and measurement: the 5 th^ Vital Sign
- A baseline pain assessment score upon admission
- That pain be assessed and charted at least q 4h post–op
- That pain be assessed and charted before, during, and after all invasive procedures
- That pain be assessed and charted before and after all therapeutic interventions (e.g. analgesics) to judge their efficacy
- That the potential for pain should be assessed and planned for (e.g.: post-op, transfer to ward, prior to ambulation, removal of chest tubes, etc.)
Before using any of the pain assessment scales, talk with the child about the following:
- Find out what words the child uses for pain, e.g., ouch, hurt.
- Ask the child to give examples of pain (to identify the child’s understanding and use of words pertaining to pain). If he/she has difficulty, ask him/her if he/she has ever fallen down, skinned his/her knee, hit his/her head, etc.
- Help the child practice with whatever pain assessment tool is selected by rating past pain experiences.
- To help the child differentiate between distress and pain, start with assigning a nominal value or measurement to how scared the patient is or how much he or she dislikes being in the hospital. This approach yields a “cleaner” more reliable pain intensity score.
- Be prepared to change scales if the child gets bored or frustrated with the current one.
To verify the child’s understanding of a tool, ask the child to point to or state a number or face that means the following:
- No pain
- The most hurt
- Hurts he has already experienced, picking several of the examples he/she has given
- The hurt he feels now (specify which pain if more than one possible)
- The point at which the pain would be acceptable (okay) for him/her. 1. Self report
In general, numerical scales can be used by most children by age 7 to 10 years or older. Numerical scales may range from zero (meaning no pain) to 10, (meaning the worst possible pain). Children better understand vertical scales than horizontal scales.
Numerical scale (Visual Analog scale)
How to use?
- Children 8 years +
- Consider using numerical scale only if the child can count to the highest number and understands the concept of proportionality e.g. that 8 is more than 6 , Verify this.
- Use scale in vertical position.
- Explain that 0 means no hurt (or whatever term the child uses for pain). Going up the scale #1 is a little bit of pain, #3 is quite a bit of pain, #5 is even more, 7 is quite a lot of pain, 9 is a great deal of pain and 10 is the worst pain you have ever had or could ever imagine.
- Ask « Where are you on this scale right now? » or « How much pain are you in? »
For future rating, note whether the child needs to point to the scale or is able to verbalize the number.
Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Children > 8 years 10____ Most pain
9____
8____
7____
6____
5____
4____
3____
2____
1____
0____ No pain
2. Behavioral
The FLACC (Face, Leg, Activity, Cry, Consolability) Scale
The FLACC scale is a simple framework for quantifying pain behaviors in children who may not be able to verbalize the presence or severity of pain. Five categories of pain behaviours are rated from 0-10. The FLACC tool has been tested as a valid and reliable tool for patients aged 2 months to 7 years and the behavioral categories have shown content validity with CHEOPS and Objective Pain Scale (OPS).
FLACC developed at the University of Michigan, Merkel et al, 1997.
3. Other Pain Assessment and Measurmenet Tools
At the MCH, the APS recommends using the scales mentioned above that are quick, user friendly and all give a number from 0 to 10 so we are all talking the same language. Exceptions may present them selfs. Depending on the setting, the patient population (ex. intubated patients), the time at hand and the cooperation of the patient, there are other pain tools that can be used to measure pain. These can be found in the annexe section at the end of this document.
4. Special Populations:
Non-Communicative/Pre-verbal Patient
Patients who are unable to communicate verbally because of neurological problems are vulnerable and discrepencies have been found in pain practices in children with and without cognitive impairments (Malviya et al, 2001). These individuals are at risk for pain because: they have medical problems that may cause pain; they often require repeated surgical and therpeutic procedures that are painful; many have behaviours that can mask expressions of pain; and many of the typified behaviours that indicate pain in others may be inconsistent and difficult to interpret in those with cognitive disability (Breau et al, 1998; 2001; 2002).
The Non-communicating children’s pain checklist (Breau et al, 2001) Focal Moaning, whining, whimpering Crying (moderately loud) screaming/yelling (very loud)
Social Not cooperating, cranky, irritable, unhappy Less interaction with others; withdrawn Seeks comfort or physical closeness Difficult to distract, not able to satisfy or pacify
Facial expression Furrowed brow Change in eyes, including squinching of eyes, eyes opened wide; eyes frown Turn down of mouth, not smiling Lips pucker up, tight, pout or quiver Clenches or grinds teeth, chews, thrusts tongue out
Activity Not moving, less active, quiet Jumping around, agitated, fidgety
Body and limbs Stiff, spastic, tense, rigid Gestures to or touches part of body that hurts Protects, favours, or guards part of body that hurts Flinches or moves body part away; sensitive to touch Moves body in specific way to show pain (head back, arms down, curls up etc.)
Physical signs Change in colour, pallor Sweating, perspiring Tears Sharp intake of breath, gasping
REFERENCES
Ambuel, B. Assessing pain in pediatric intensive care environments: the Comfort Scale, J of Pediatric Psychology , vol. 1, 1992, pp95-109.
Beyer, J.E. The assessment of pain in children. Pediatric Clin North Am , 1989:837-854.
Bieri, D., Reeve, R., Champion, G.D., Addicoat, L., and Zieglar, J., (1990). The faces pain scale for
the self-assessment of the severity of pain experienced by children: Development, initial validation
and preliminary investigation for ratio scale properties. Pain, 41, 139-150.
Blatier, T. A sumiltaneous comparison of three neonatal pain scales during common NICU procedures, The Clinical J. of Pain , 14:39-47.
Breau, L.M., Camfield, C., McGrath, P., Rosmus, C., and Finley, A., (2001). Measuring pain accurately in children with cognitive impairments: Refinement of a caregiver scale. J of Pediatrics, 138, 721-7.
Breau, L.M., Camfield, C., Finley, A., McGrath, P., and Campfield, C., (2002). Validation of the Non- communicating Children’s Pain Checklist for the post-operative pain of children with cognitive impairments. Anesthesiology, March issue.
Chambers, C.T., Read, G.J., McGrath, P.J., and Finley, G.A., (1996). Development and preliminary validation of a post-op measure for parents. Pain ,68; 307-
Eland, J.M. Minimizing pain associated with prekindergarten intramuscular injections. Issues in Comprehensive Ped. Nursing , 5:361, 1981.
Franck, L., Greenberg, C., Stevens, B. Pain Assessment in Infants and Children, The Pediatric Clinics of North America , Vol. 47, No. 3, June 2000, W.B. Saunders.
Hester, N.O. Measurement of Pain in Children: Generalizability and validity of the pain ladder and the poker Chip tool in Tyler, ed Advances in pain research and therapy, Pediatric pain, New York, Raven Press 1990:79-84.
Krechel SW, Bildner J. CRIES: A new postoperative pain measurement score.Initial testing of validity and reliability, Pediatr Anesthesia , 1995;5:53-61.
McCaffery, M. Pain: Clinical Manual for Nursing Practice, St. Louis, 1999, CV Mosby, second edition.
McGrath Patricia, A new analog scale for assessing children’s pain, PAIN (1996), 435-443.
McGrath, P.J. CHEOPS, a behavioral scale to measure post-operative pain in children; in Fields Hl, et Advances in pain research and therapy, New York, Raven Press, 1985:395-402.
McGrath, P.J., Rosmus, C., Camfield, C. et al. Behaviors caregivers use to determine pain in non-verbal cognitively impaired children. Dev Med Child Neurol , 40 :340-343, 1999.
Merkel, Sandra, Voepel-lewis,Terri ,Sayevitz,Jay, Malviya,S.(1997). The FlACC: A behavioural scale for scoring post-op pain in young children. Pediatric Nursing ,vol. 27.no.3,293-
Ross, D. Assessment of Pediatric Pain: An Overview, Issues in Comprehensive Ped. Nursing , 11:73-91.1988.
Savedra, .et al,(1992) Adolescent pediatric pain Tool: body outlines for pain assessment, in Yaster,M Pediatric Pain management and Sedation Handbook.
Schecter, N. Pain in Infants, Children and Adolescents, Williams and Wilkins 1993.
Stevens, B., Johnston, C.C. PIPP, development and initial validation, Clinical J of Pain , vol 12, pp.13-22,1996.
Stevens, B., Johnston, C.C., Frank, L.S. The efficacy of developmentally sensitive interventions and sucrose for relieving procedural pain in very low birth weight neonates, Nurs Res , 48 :35-43, 1999 abstract.
Stevens, B. Pain Assessment in Children: Birth through adolescence, Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics , vol.6,No.4, Oct., pp.725-743, 1997.
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Yaster, M. Pediatric Pain Management and Sedation Handbook, Mosby, 1997.
6. Pain diary Usually includes filling out the time of the day, hourly pain intensity rating, major activity being done, medication taken and dose, other pain relief measures etc (6 years and older, +/- parental help)
Time Pain Rating Scale^ Medication type & Amount taken
Other pain relief measures tried or anything that influences your pain
Major activity being done : lying , sitting, standing, walking 12 Midnight
1 A.M.
2 A.M.
3 A.M.
- Pain drawings No standardized procedure. Usually child is given paper and crayons and asked to make a picture of the pain. When the child has completed the drawing, the nurse asks him/her about the picture.
- Body outline tool (Eland Colour scale) or APPT (Adolescent Paediatric Pain Tool) These tools consist of body outline drawings facing front and back. A child can be asked to make a mark, to shade in the area of pain, or to choose crayons of different colours representing different degrees of pain. Refer to tool at the end of the annexe section (p.13). 9. CRIES
Neonatal post-op pain measurement score 0 1 2 C rying No High Pitched Inconsolable R equires O2 for >95 No <30% >30% I ncreased vital signs HR & BP = or < Preop
HR or BP ↑< 20% of Preop
HR or BP↑
20% of Preop E xpression None Grimace Grimace/grunt S leepless No Wakes at frequent intervals
Constantly awake
Neonatal pain assessment tool developed at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Krechel et al, 1995
Coding Tips for using CRIES
C rying: The characteristic cry of pain is high pitched. If no cry or cry which is not high pitched score 0. If cry is high pitched but baby is easily consoled score 1. If cry is high pitched but baby is inconsolable score 2.
R equires O2 for Sat > 95%: Look for changes in oxygenation. Babies experiencing pain manifest decreases in oxygenation as measured by TCO2 or oxygen saturation. If no oxygen is required score 0. If <30% O2 is required score 1. If >30% O2 is required score 2.
- PIPP (Premature Infant Pain Profile) The PIPP is useful for premature and term infants for procedures or post-op pain (Stevens, B.). It is scored in acknowledgement that there are less robust, more subtle pain cues in premature infants, as compared to term infants, i.e.: less crying, weaker grimace, flaccid posturing.
PREMATURE AND TERM INFANT PAIN PROFILE (P.I.P.P.) B. Stevens, C. Johnston, P. Petryshen, A. Taddio (Also tested for post-op pain in N.I.C.U., Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, 1998, Bonnie Stevens.) PROCESS INDICATOR 0 1 2 3 SCORE CHART Gestational Age 36 weeks and more
32 weeks to 35 weeks, 6 days
28 weeks to 31 weeks, 6 days
28 weeks and less Observe infant 15 seconds - Observe baseline : Heart Rate ___ O2 saturation __
Behavioral State
active / awake eyes open facial movements
quiet / awake eyes open no facial movements
active / asleep eyes closed facial movements
quiet/sleep eyes closed no facial movements
Heart Rate Max. ______
0 to 4 beats / minute increase
5 to 14 beats / minute increase
15 to 24 beats/ minute increase
25 beats / minute incr. O2 saturation Min. ______
0 to 2.4% decrease
2.5 to 4.9% decrease
5.0 to 7.4% decrease
7.5% or more decrease Brow Bulge None 0 to 9% of time
Minimum 10-39% of time
Moderate 40-69% of time
Maximum 70% of time or more Eye Squeeze None 0 to 9% of time
Minimum 10–39% of time
Moderate 40-69% of time
Maximum 70% of time or more
Observe infant 30 seconds
Nasolabial Furrow
None 0 to 9% of time
Minimum 10-39% of time
Moderate 40-69% of time
Maximum 70% of time or more
Scoring method for the PIPP
- Familiarize yourself with each indicator and how it is to be scored by looking at the measure.
- Score gestational age (from the chart) before you begin.
- Score behavioral state by observing the infant for 15 seconds immediately before the event.
- Record the baseline heart rate and oxygen saturation.
- Observe the infant for 30 seconds immediately following the event. You will have to look back and forth from the monitor to the baby’s face. Score physiologic and facial action changes seen during that time and record immediately following the observation period.
- Calculate the final score.
- For all age groups, total scores of 6 or less generally indicate minimal or no pain and scores > 12 reflected moderate to severe pain. I ncreased Vital Signs: Note: take blood pressure last as this may wake child-causing difficulty with other assessments. Use baseline pre-op parameters from a non-stressed period. Multiply baseline HR X 0.2 then add this to baseline HR to determine the HR which is 20% over baseline. Do likewise for BP. Use mean BP. If HR and BP are both unchanged or less than baseline score 0. If HR or BP is increased but increase is <20% of baseline score 1. If either one is increased >20% over baseline score 2. E xpression: The facial expression most often associated with pain is a grimace. This may be characterized by brow lowering, eyes squeezed shut, deepening of the naso-labial furrow, open lips and mouth. If no grimace is present score 0. If grimace alone is present score 1. If grimace and non-cry vocalization grunt is present score 2. S leepless: This parameter is scored based upon the infant’s state during the hour preceding this recorded score. If the child has been continuously asleep score 0. If he/she has awakened at frequent intervals score 1. If he/she has been awake constantly score 2. A score ≥ 4 indicates that the patient is in pain.
- The SUN Tool (Scale for Use in Newborns) Modified comfort scale for the intubated infant used in NICU. For more information on this scale, contact the NICU clinical educators or Neonatal Nurse Clinicians.
TOTAL SCORE :
