Pain assessment in the recovery room

The assessment and management of pain in the acute hospital setting is an important issue for practitioners (Layman Young et al 2005). Despite advances in pain management (Fotiadis et al 2004, Powell et al 2004, Wu & Richman 2004) and the use of multimodal analgesic techniques in the theatre/recovery environment (Jin & Chung 2001), for a variety of reasons (Turk & Okifuji 1999, Pasero 2003), patients' reports of pain following surgery suggest that it remains problematic (Rawal 2002, Brown 2004, Coll et al 2004). In the recovery room disorientation, anxiety, fear and nausea may add to and alter patients' perception of pain, making it crucial that recovery room practitioners understand pain and pain assessment. This article outlines and critiques pain assessment tools that may be used to enhance pain management practices in the recovery room.