What is the fifth vital sign that recommends its assessment and management in
much the same manner the traditional vital signs are regarded?
Pain
What factors can contribute to a lack of comfort?
• Anxiety • Constipation • Constricting edema • Depression • Diaphoresis •
Diarrhea • Distention • Dry mouth
• Dyspnea • Fatigue • Fear • Flatus • Grief • Headache • Hopelessness •
Hyperthermia
• Hypothermia • Hypoxia • Incontinence • Muscle cramping • Nausea • Pain •
Powerlessness
• Pruritus • Sadness • Singultus • Thirst • Urinary retention • Vomiting
What do patients, no matter their age, typically receive comfort?
gentle touch and eye contact
noxious
harmful; poisonous; lethal to physical health
Is pain subjective or objective?
subjective - its whatever that patient says it is
behavioral characteristics of patients in pain
• self-protective; guards (places hands over) the painful area
• narrowed focus; cannot think of anything else, reduced attention span
• May withdraw from social contact
• Has impaired thought processes
, • Demonstrates distraction behavior, includes
moaning, rocking, crying, pacing, restlessness
• Presents facial mask of pain; eyes appear dull or lusterless, fixed or rapidly
changing facial movements, grimacing, teeth clenching, lip biting, or jaw
tightening
• Experiences alterations in muscle tone, ranging from flaccidity to rigidity
• Exhibits diaphoresis, changes in BP and PR, papillary dilation, and increased
or decreased rate of respiration
• Sometimes demonstrates no outward expression of pain. Remember that lack
of pain expression does not mean lack of pain. There is no specific "picture" of
a patient in pain
Only the person with pain, and not the health care provider, is the expert about
that pain:
its onset, duration, location, intensity, quality, and pattern, as well as the degree
of pain relief obtained from therapy.
chronic pain
pain lasting longer than 6 months; it is constant or occurs off and on; damage
has occurred
Examples of chronic pain
arthritis, back injuries, fibromyalgia, accidents, or neurologic conditions
referred pain
felt at a site other than the injured or diseased organ or part of the body. An
example is the pain of coronary artery insufficiency that sometimes is felt in the
left shoulder, the left arm, or the jaw.
acute pain
much the same manner the traditional vital signs are regarded?
Pain
What factors can contribute to a lack of comfort?
• Anxiety • Constipation • Constricting edema • Depression • Diaphoresis •
Diarrhea • Distention • Dry mouth
• Dyspnea • Fatigue • Fear • Flatus • Grief • Headache • Hopelessness •
Hyperthermia
• Hypothermia • Hypoxia • Incontinence • Muscle cramping • Nausea • Pain •
Powerlessness
• Pruritus • Sadness • Singultus • Thirst • Urinary retention • Vomiting
What do patients, no matter their age, typically receive comfort?
gentle touch and eye contact
noxious
harmful; poisonous; lethal to physical health
Is pain subjective or objective?
subjective - its whatever that patient says it is
behavioral characteristics of patients in pain
• self-protective; guards (places hands over) the painful area
• narrowed focus; cannot think of anything else, reduced attention span
• May withdraw from social contact
• Has impaired thought processes
, • Demonstrates distraction behavior, includes
moaning, rocking, crying, pacing, restlessness
• Presents facial mask of pain; eyes appear dull or lusterless, fixed or rapidly
changing facial movements, grimacing, teeth clenching, lip biting, or jaw
tightening
• Experiences alterations in muscle tone, ranging from flaccidity to rigidity
• Exhibits diaphoresis, changes in BP and PR, papillary dilation, and increased
or decreased rate of respiration
• Sometimes demonstrates no outward expression of pain. Remember that lack
of pain expression does not mean lack of pain. There is no specific "picture" of
a patient in pain
Only the person with pain, and not the health care provider, is the expert about
that pain:
its onset, duration, location, intensity, quality, and pattern, as well as the degree
of pain relief obtained from therapy.
chronic pain
pain lasting longer than 6 months; it is constant or occurs off and on; damage
has occurred
Examples of chronic pain
arthritis, back injuries, fibromyalgia, accidents, or neurologic conditions
referred pain
felt at a site other than the injured or diseased organ or part of the body. An
example is the pain of coronary artery insufficiency that sometimes is felt in the
left shoulder, the left arm, or the jaw.
acute pain
