Philosophy, knowledge and theory in the assessment of pain

Pain is generally accepted to be an unpleasant sensory experience that can affect patients' quality of life if not addressed adequately. Pain assessment is a key aspect in the nursing management and delivery of care within the clinical environment. Effective pain management is thus reliant on a comprehensive assessment of the patient and his/her pain. It is though the assessment process that the skilled nurse utilizes many aspects of knowledge including that of the underlying pathophysiology, pharmacological knowledge of the drugs available for use, and knowledge of the patient being assessed. The use of these varying types of knowledge is essential when caring for a variety of patients. To ensure pain assessment is based on sound judgement, effective nurses will utilize their knowledge acquired through different sources, including any relevant theories or research, and their understanding of the philosophical dimensions of pain and its treatment. The ideology behind effective pain assessment and pain management is to achieve a pain-free status whenever possible. Although this sets the nurse a very difficult challenge, the aim is to ensure that the patient achieves the best possible treatment.