The nature of pain

Pain is complex and difficult to define; Managing pain is challenging for all members of the interprofessional team; Untreated pain is harmful to the patient; Pain is a subjective and unique experience for the individual, which we, as health professionals, should not judge; Staff do not know best--listen to what the patient is telling you; Base your evaluation of pain upon a thorough clinical assessment and an evaluation of treatment/care. Use pain measurement tools to aid this process; Effective communication with patients is essential for effective pain management.