PAIN ASSESSMENT IN INTENSIVE CARE: WHO PUTS PEN TO PAPER?

Pain is common in intensive care units (ICUs)[1]. Regular pain assessment can improve patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. It is commonly performed by nurses [2], yet physician-led assessment can improve analgesic management. Using pain documentation as a surrogate for assessment, a review showed physiological parameters i.e. cardiovascular assessment, were more frequently documented by doctors than pain in critically ill patients [3].