Assessing Pain
Category: Assessment
Status: Stub — content coming soon
Purpose
Describe the nurse’s role in pain assessment.
Assessment Frameworks
OLDCARTS
| Element | Question |
|---|---|
| Onset | When did it start? |
| Location | Where is it? |
| Duration | How long does it last? |
| Character | What does it feel like? |
| Alleviating/Aggravating | What makes it better or worse? |
| Radiation | Does it spread anywhere? |
| Temporal | Is it constant or intermittent? |
| Severity | Rate it 0–10 |
Pain Scales
- NRS (Numeric Rating Scale): 0–10 — adults with intact cognition
- FACES Scale: pediatric / cognitively impaired
- FLACC: nonverbal/behavioral (pediatric)
- CPOT: nonverbal adults in critical care
Normal/Baseline
- Goal: patient-defined acceptable pain level
Notes
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