Pain and anxiety in A&E attenders

Little research has been carried out into pain and anxiety in the A&E department. In the third article in this series, a study of 200 patients is described which revealed that only a small number of A&E patients reported having no pain or anxiety while substantial numbers were reporting high pain and/or anxiety levels. A statistically significant linkage between high pain and anxiety levels was demonstrated. The author reviews what factors cause anxiety and fear in patients attending A&E and concludes that nurses can alleviate worry and pain by better communication.