Evaluation of Numerical Pain Scale Use in the Emergency Department at a Rural Community Hospital

Class of 2006 AbstractObjectives: To evaluate the use of the numerical pain scale at the Sierra Vista Regional Health Center Emergency Department in adult patients presenting with a chief complaint of pain. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 299 charts of patients presenting to the emergency department with a chief complaint of pain. Results: Pain was assessed in 86.2% of 299 patients at triage, 26.4% post-intervention, and 58.2% at discharge. The average pain value reported by patients at triage was 6.3. Subsequent average pain value post-intervention was 4.1 and 2.9 at discharge. The average pain value at triage compared to the average pain value at discharge was statistically different (p