Original ArticleComparison of Pain Scale Preferences and Pain Intensity According to Pain Scales among Turkish Patients: A Descriptive Study
Section snippets
Setting and Subjects
This study was performed at the at surgical wards of Cumhuriyet University Health Services Practice and Research Hospital (general surgery, colorectal surgery, urology, cardiovascular surgery, orthopedics, otorhinolaryngology, and neurosurgery). The number of patients per nurse was from 25 to 47 in these units. Patients ≥18 years old were recruited during the postoperative period. Their hearing and vision were intact as well as their ability to use their hands (no arthritis or fracture of the
Patients Characteristics
The patients were 89.9% married, 57.5% male, 15.3% 19–39 years old, 48.1% 40–59 years old, 36.6% were ≥60 years old, mean age 50.12 years (SD 13.51), 57.8% primary school graduates, 17.7% high school or university graduates, and 24.5% who never went to school. Regarding treatment and care, 35.3% of the patients were in general surgery, 21.6% orthopedics, 15.6% in neurosurgery, 15.5% in cardiovascular surgery, and 12.2% in urology. Among the patients, 37.7% had previous hospital experience, and
Discussion
Using a pain scale to assess pain improves patient awareness of pain management, which helps to comfort the patient and with the management of pain (Hjermstad et al., 2008; Ene, et al., 2008; Gunningberg & Idvall, 2007). However, studies have shown that nurses do not use pain scales and instead subjectively estimate pain (Akdemi, Akyar, & Gorgulu, 2008; Bacaksiz, et al., 2008; Manias, Bucknall, & Botti, 2005; Ozer, Akyurek, & Basbakkal, 2006; Sloman, Rosen, Rom, & Shir, 2005). However, studies
Conclusion
The pain scales chosen should be reliable, valid, and able to evaluate the effects of treatment. However, offering patients a choice of pain scales might improve the information reported and help providers with pain management. The findings of the present study suggest that the FPS, NRS, TPS, and VDS are the most appropriate pain scales to use for post surgical patients that can cooperate with the instructions. Not using the VAS might lead to a more accurate assessment of pain. For surgical
Acknowledgments
The authors express their thanks to Ms. Ziynet Cinar for her valuable help in data analysis and statistical consultation. They also thank the trainee nurses who helped to collect the data.
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