Developing a pain assessment tool for patients after major abdominal surgery

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Nursing
• Public Health

Background:

• Effective postoperative pain assessment is crucial for patient recovery.
• Existing pain assessment tools may not be suitable for diverse cultural contexts like Zambia.
• Developing context-specific tools enhances pain management efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a culturally relevant postoperative pain assessment tool for patients in Zambia (POPAZ).
• To establish a framework for assessing postoperative pain in Zambian surgical patients.

Main Methods:

• An epidemiological quantitative analytical study was conducted at University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka, Zambia.
• Data collected from 30 nurses and surgeons using an adapted Clinical Decision Making Survey.
• Focus on identifying key indicators of postoperative pain.

Main Results:

• Five critical measures for postoperative pain assessment were identified: patient mobility/activity, tolerance to activity, facial expressions, vital signs, and overall patient behavior.
• These measures provide a foundation for the POPAZ tool.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully established a framework for the Postoperative Pain Assessment tool for Zambia (POPAZ).
• The identified measures offer a basis for a practical and relevant pain assessment tool for postoperative patients in Zambia, particularly after major abdominal surgery.