Screening

Contents Introduction Recommendations Overview Patient-centred care Screening Assessment

Self-management Pharmacological Mx Non-pharmacological Mx Practice improvement Resources Opioid formulations References

Information on authorship and revision

Page last modified: 4 March 2016 02:29:39

Author(s): Australian Adult Cancer Pain Management Working Group

Screening

Evidence-based recommendation
S1. For all patients who are able to communicate their level of pain: At each clinical encounter, assess worst and average pain intensity during the previous 24 hours using a self-reported numerical rating scale from zero to 10, where zero represents ‘no pain’ and 10 represents ‘worst pain you can imagine’. (NCCN)

Numerical rating scale for pain intensity

Verbal: What number describes your worst/average pain, where zero is no pain and ten is worst pain you can imagine.

Written: Please circle the number that best describes your worst/average pain over the past 24 hours:

Evidence-based recommendation
S2. For people who cannot self-report due to cognitive impairment: At each clinical encounter, use the Abbey Pain Scale. (Consensus) Recommended by the Australian Pain Society: Australian Pain Society. Residential Aged Care Facilities - Management Strategies. Sydney: Australian Pain Society; 2005. Available from: http://www.apsoc.org.au/owner/files/9e2c2n.pdf APS 2005.

Complete a comprehensive assessment if either of the following applies:

• a new patient reports a pain score of 2 or more on self-reported numerical rating scale of zero to 10, or 3 or more on the Abbey Pain Scale
• an existing patient reports a new pain or a sudden, unexpected change in intensity of pain.

Some people find it easier to rate their pain using pictures rather than numbers. See the Wong-Baker FACES® Pain Rating Scale (a pictorial scale available for download).

Comments

References

National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology. Adult cancer pain. Version 2.2015: NCCN; 2015. Available from: http://www.nccn.org