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Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

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<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> & <strong>Midwifery</strong>, <strong>Trinity</strong> College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research <strong>Conference</strong><br />

Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007<br />

<strong>Conference</strong> <strong>Proceedings</strong><br />

Back to contents page<br />

Congruence <strong>of</strong> pain assessment between nurses and ED<br />

patients: A replication<br />

Name: Martin Duignan.<br />

Position: Advanced Nurse Practitioner Candidate (Emergency)<br />

Address: Emergency Department, Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan,<br />

Co.Meath<br />

Qualifications: MSc, H.Dip (Emergency <strong>Nursing</strong>), BSc (Clinical<br />

Practice), Dip Management, Dip Adult <strong>Nursing</strong>.<br />

Email: martin.duignan@maile.hse.ie<br />

Ph: 087-9976490<br />

Name: Virginia Dunn<br />

Position: Former Lecturer, <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> & <strong>Midwifery</strong>, <strong>Trinity</strong><br />

College Dublin<br />

Qualifications: MSc, BSc (<strong>Nursing</strong>)<br />

Email:ginnydunn2004@yahoo.co.uk<br />

SUMMARY<br />

Aim: To ascertain congruence between patients’ self-report <strong>of</strong> pain<br />

intensity and nurses’ assessment <strong>of</strong> their pain intensity.<br />

Methods: This study adopted a replication methodology which<br />

aimed to ascertain congruence between patients self-report <strong>of</strong> pain<br />

intensity and nurses’ assessment <strong>of</strong> their pain intensity. Raw<br />

statistical data was analysed using SPSS for windows.<br />

Results: This study supports the findings <strong>of</strong> the original U.S. study<br />

that emergency nurses frequently underestimate patients’ pain<br />

intensity. However this study also found incidents where nurses<br />

accurately assessed their patients’ pain intensity, and incidences <strong>of</strong><br />

overestimation.<br />

Conclusions: This study illustrates underestimation <strong>of</strong> patients pain<br />

intensity by emergency nurses which is both clinically and<br />

statistically significant.<br />

Relevance to Clinical Practice: Implications for nursing practice<br />

include a need for assessment <strong>of</strong> patients’ pain intensity, the<br />

development <strong>of</strong> pain management protocols, and increased<br />

emphasis on education in both undergraduate and postgraduate<br />

nursing curricula. Also there needs to be continued clinical audit <strong>of</strong><br />

pain management standards.<br />

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