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. 2023 Dec;10(12):7668-7675.
doi: 10.1002/nop2.2007. Epub 2023 Oct 3.

Do we really know if they are in pain? A cross-sectional study in hospitalised adult patients in Spain

Laura Lorenzo Allegue  1 , Leonor Laredo Velasco  2 , Ana María Recio Vivas  1 , José Miguel Mansilla Domínguez  1 , Pedro Moñino Ruiz  3 , Luz Bueno Rey  4 , Isabel Font-Jiménez  1 , Emilio Vargas Castrillón  4   5   6
Affiliations

Do we really know if they are in pain? A cross-sectional study in hospitalised adult patients in Spain

Laura Lorenzo Allegue et al. Nurs Open. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Aims: To describe the prevalence and characteristics of pain in adult hospitalised patients, as well as to analyse the concordance between patient-reported and recorded pain and its impact on analgesic management.

Design: A cross sectional study.

Methods: The study was performed on a sample of 611 patients, from October to December 2017. Data were obtained from patient interviews, review of medical and nursing records and review of electronic prescribing.

Results: The prevalence of pain at the time of the interview was 36.7%. The median VAS score was 4. 90% of the patients had their pain assessed within the last 24 h; however, concordance between patient-reported pain and recorded pain in the nursing record was slight.

Conclusion: Pain is still often documented inadequately. Despite the wide use of analgesics, half of the patients with moderate to severe pain do not have adequate pain management. A systematic assessment and recording of pain promotes appropriate analgesic prescription.

Implications for the profession and patient care: The findings of our study provide insight into the main gaps in the correct management of pain in hospitalised patients. A systematic assessment and recording of the pain suffered by the patient facilitates its control and allows a better management of the analgesic prescription by the physician. This information could help hospital managers to develop training programmes on pain assessment and on the importance of doctor-nurse collaboration to improve pain management, increasing the quality of care and reducing hospital costs.

Reporting method: The study has adhered to the relevant EQUATOR guidelines, according to The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies.

Keywords: analgesics; inpatients; pain management; pain measurement; prevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Flow chart of patients considered for participating in the study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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