Factors influencing pain management: a nursing perspective

Pain management is an integral part of the daily practice of PACU nurses. Despite increased understanding of pain and advanced pain-management methods, the experience of moderate to severe pain continues for many patients. This article reviews factors that influence nurses' pain management. These factors include the difficulty involved with measuring pain and the characteristics and educational preparation of the nurse. Common misconceptions and corrections to these misconceptions are summarized, and implications for practice are given. Suggestions for continuing education, including resensitizing nurses to pain management, increasing nurses' knowledge base, and examining personal factors and inherent beliefs, are given.