{"id":1050,"date":"2022-09-19T09:07:32","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T13:07:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/chapter\/unidimensional-pain-assessment-tools\/"},"modified":"2024-05-03T15:23:17","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T19:23:17","slug":"unidimensional-pain-assessment-tools","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/chapter\/unidimensional-pain-assessment-tools\/","title":{"raw":"Unidimensional Pain Assessment Tools","rendered":"Unidimensional Pain Assessment Tools"},"content":{"raw":"<span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Unidimensional pain tools<\/strong> assess <strong>one element of pain<\/strong>, typically <strong>intensity<\/strong>, which refers to the magnitude or the severity of pain. These unidimensional tools are important because they can be used to:<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Provide a baseline of the severity of a client\u2019s pain.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Determine the need for pain management\/treatment.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Evaluate treatment effectiveness.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">For example, if a client has pain, you might manage the pain through repositioning or medication, and then reassess the pain again. Unidimensional pain tools are effective at evaluating pain over time between one time period to the next. However, it is important to note that because they have only one focus, they neglect other dimensions of the pain experience (Lapkin et al., 2021). Another issue is that tools should be selected for each client based on cognitive and cultural factors.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">The next sections explore four unidimensional pain tools involving self-report, and that focus on assessing pain intensity.<\/span>\r\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Numeric Rating Scale<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) is a widely used <strong>11-point pain scale from zero to ten<\/strong> (Slomp, 2019). When using the NRS, you commonly ask clients: \u201cOn a scale of zero to ten with zero being no pain and ten being the worst pain imaginable, how do you rate your pain?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">The NRS tool is used because:<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">It is simple to use.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">It gives a quick assessment of the client\u2019s pain intensity and provides a baseline.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">It is useful for frequent or repeat pain assessments such as after a treatment or medication is provided.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">It is the most commonly used pain tool to <strong>evaluate pain intensity<\/strong>. However, it is not appropriate to use with young children. The general consensus has been that it can be used with children as young as eight and possibly younger (von Baeyer, 2009). A more recent systematic review found a strong recommendation for its use with children as young as six when assessing acute pain (Birnie et al., 2019). Use of this tool for any client should be based on their developmental age and capacity to engage with numbers. Again, keep in mind that the NRS is unidimensional: it only measures pain intensity at a specific time period (Slomp, 2019).<\/span>\r\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Visual Analogue Scale<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) provides a <strong>horizontal (or vertical line) with two anchors<\/strong>. The left side (or bottom) is marked \u201cno pain\u201d and the right side (or top) is marked \u201cworst imaginable pain.\u201d Clients may use their finger to point where on the line where their pain is; digital versions are also now available (see <strong>Figure 3<\/strong>).<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">The VAS is used for similar reasons as the NRS, but it is useful when clients do not resonate with rating pain according to numbers. It is best used with adults considering that a recent systematic review found a weak recommendation for its use with children when assessing acute or chronic pain (Bernie et al., 2019).<\/span>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2022\/09\/VLS2-graph02-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Visual analogue scale showing green for no pain to full red for worst imaginable pain.\" width=\"612\" height=\"344\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1046\" \/>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Figure 3<\/strong>: Example of VAS<\/span>\r\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Verbal Descriptor Tool<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">The Verbal Descriptor Tool (VDT) provides an opportunity for clients to <strong>describe the intensity of their pain using words<\/strong> (Pathak et al., 2018). The<\/span> client is asked: \u201cWhich word best describes your pain intensity?\u201d (Kar<span style=\"color: #000000\">cioglu et al., 2018). Various versions of the VDT have been developed (see <strong>Figure 4<\/strong>): the descriptors often have numbers associated with them, and additional modifiers of the descriptors such as \u201cvery mild\u201d and \u201cvery severe\u201d can be added.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">The VDT is also used for similar reasons as the NRS, but as with the VAS it is useful when a client does not resonate with rating pain according to numbers and prefers descriptors.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/VLS2-graph03-300x169.png\" alt=\"Verbal descriptor tool showing scale of pain: zero for none, one for mild, two for moderate, three for severe.\" width=\"707\" height=\"398\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1047\" \/>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Figure 4<\/strong>: Verbal Descriptor Tool<\/span>\r\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>FACES Pain Scales<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Several pain scales involving faces have been developed specifically for children to rate the intensity of their pain. Young children do not have the same cognitive and linguistic capacity as adults, so these types of scales are more developmentally appropriate, particularly for those aged 3\u20137 years and even older depending on their developmental age. The two most common are the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale and the FACES Pain Scale - Revised Version (FPS-R).<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">The <strong>Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale<\/strong> (<strong>Figure 5<\/strong>) is a self-assessment tool that must be understood by the patient, so they are able to choose the face that best illustrates the physical pain they are experiencing. The tool is not for use with infants or patients who are unresponsive. It is not a tool to be used by a third person (i.e., parents, healthcare professionals, or caregivers) to assess the patient\u2019s pain. This tool has actually been used across the lifespan as well including in adolescents and adults.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Ask the child to <strong>choose the face that best shows the physical pain<\/strong> they are experiencing. You may need to explain what the faces mean: Face 0 doesn\u2019t hurt at all, Face 2 hurts just a little bit, Face 4 hurts a little bit more, Face 6 hurts even more, Face 8 hurts a whole lot, and Face 10 hurts as much as you can imagine.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/FACES_Publication_English_Black-1024x396.jpg\" alt=\"Wong Baker FACES Pain rating scale. Detailed description in the text above.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"396\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1048 size-large\" \/>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Figure 5<\/strong>: Wong-Baker FACES\u00ae Pain Rating Scale Wong-Baker FACES Foundation (2019).<\/span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Similarly, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iasp-pain.org\/resources\/faces-pain-scale-revised\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Faces Pain Scale - Revised Version<\/strong><\/a> (FPS-R) provides a series of six faces with different expressions to illustrate pain (Hicks et al., 2001) - check out the FPS-R by clicking on the link. This <strong>revised version does not include faces with smiles or tears<\/strong>, which can help remove bias; for example, a smiling face may be interpreted as happiness, which does not necessarily mean the individual is not in pain.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">When using this scale, say to the child something like: \u201cThese faces show how much something can hurt. This face [point to left-most face] shows no pain. The faces show more and more pain [point to each from left to right] up to this one [point to right-most face] - it shows very much pain. Point to the face that shows how much you hurt\u201d you feel right now (Hicks et al., 2001, p. 176).<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Based on the findings of a systematic review, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iasp-pain.org\/resources\/faces-pain-scale-revised\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FPS-R<\/a> is recommended for children as young as seven for acute pain (Birnie et al., 2019).<\/span>\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Contextualizing Inclusivity<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Like all tools, including pain tools, the FACES pain scale may not translate to all cultures. The Northern Pain Scale is another adapted version of the FACES scale. It was translated into Inuktitut and recreated with facial expressions and dress to reflect the culture of Inuk people in Canada (Ellis et al., 2011). As a nurse, it is important to consider the use of culturally relevant pain tools.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Sun-Cloud-Pain Scale<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Another scale that may be more relevant to assess pain and other symptoms in clients from certain cultures is the <strong>Sun-Cloud-Pain Scale<\/strong>. On this scale, 0 indicates that the client feels very well, whereas 5 indicates that the client is feeling very unwell specific to their pain (see <strong>Figure 6<\/strong>) (Lapum et al., 2019).<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\"><img src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5-e1665522813511-1024x407.png\" alt=\"Sun cloud pain scale depicting full sun as level 0 up to thunderstorm with rain as level 5. Mix of sun and clouds = 1, partially cloudy = 2, cloudy = 3, cloudy with rain = 4.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"407\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1049 size-large\" \/><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Figure 6<\/strong>: Sun-Cloud-Pain Scale. Graphic created using icons by Linseed Studio from the Noun Project.<\/span>\r\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Activity: Check Your Understanding<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<span>[h5p id=\"72\"]<\/span>\r\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Birnie, K., Hundert, A., Lalloo, C., Nguyen, C., &amp; Stinson, J. (2019). Recommendations for selection of self-report pain intensity measures in children and adolescents: A systematic review and quality assessment of measurement properties. Pain: The Journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain, 160(1), 5-18<\/span>. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/j.pain.0000000000001377\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/j.pain.0000000000001377<\/a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Ellis, J., Ootoova, A., Blouin, R., Rowley, B., Taylor, M., DeCourtney, C., Joyce, M., Greenley, W., Gaboury, I. (2011). Establishing the psychometric properties and preferences for the Northern Pain Scale. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 70(3), 274-285.<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3402\/ijch.v70i3.17823\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3402\/ijch.v70i3.17823<\/a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Karcioglu, O., Topacoglu, H., Dikme, O., &amp; Dikme, O. (2018). A systematic review of the pain scales in adults: Which to use? The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 36(4), 707-714.<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ajem.2018.01.008\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ajem.2018.01.008<\/a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Lapkin, S. , Ellwood, L. , Diwan, A. &amp; Fernandez, R. (2021). Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of multidimensional pain assessment tools used in postoperative adult patients: A systematic review of measurement properties. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 19 (2), 284-307<\/span>. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.11124\/JBISRIR-D-19-00407\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.11124\/JBISRIR-D-19-00407<\/a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Lapum, J., St-Amant, O., Hughes, M., Petrie, P., Morrell, S., &amp; Mistry, S. (2019). The complete subjective health assessment<\/span>. <a href=\"https:\/\/ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub\/healthassessment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub\/healthassessment\/<\/a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Pathak, A., Sharma, S., &amp; Jensen, M. (2018). The utility and validity of pain intensity rating scales for use in developing countries. Pain Reports, 3(5), 1-8.<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/PR9.0000000000000672\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/PR9.0000000000000672<\/a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Slomp, F. (2019). Transforming acute pain experience into a pain score: The challenges. Doctoral dissertation, University of Alberta<\/span>. <a href=\"https:\/\/era.library.ualberta.ca\/items\/39d68f48-556c-437d-92fb-164063b7a1e3\/view\/4c3abaf4-92bc-4b1d-83b2-bd14ef7e7fa8\/Slomp_Florence_J_201901_PhD.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/era.library.ualberta.ca\/items\/39d68f48-556c-437d-92fb-164063b7a1e3\/view\/4c3abaf4-92bc-4b1d-83b2-bd14ef7e7fa8\/Slomp_Florence_J_201901_PhD.pdf<\/a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">von Baeyer, C. (2009). Numerical rating scale for self-report of pain intensity in children and adolescents: Recent progress and further questions. European Journal of Pain, 13(10), 1005-1007.<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ejpain.2009.08.006\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ejpain.2009.08.006<\/a>","rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Unidimensional pain tools<\/strong> assess <strong>one element of pain<\/strong>, typically <strong>intensity<\/strong>, which refers to the magnitude or the severity of pain. These unidimensional tools are important because they can be used to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Provide a baseline of the severity of a client\u2019s pain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Determine the need for pain management\/treatment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Evaluate treatment effectiveness.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">For example, if a client has pain, you might manage the pain through repositioning or medication, and then reassess the pain again. Unidimensional pain tools are effective at evaluating pain over time between one time period to the next. However, it is important to note that because they have only one focus, they neglect other dimensions of the pain experience (Lapkin et al., 2021). Another issue is that tools should be selected for each client based on cognitive and cultural factors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">The next sections explore four unidimensional pain tools involving self-report, and that focus on assessing pain intensity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Numeric Rating Scale<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) is a widely used <strong>11-point pain scale from zero to ten<\/strong> (Slomp, 2019). When using the NRS, you commonly ask clients: \u201cOn a scale of zero to ten with zero being no pain and ten being the worst pain imaginable, how do you rate your pain?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">The NRS tool is used because:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">It is simple to use.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">It gives a quick assessment of the client\u2019s pain intensity and provides a baseline.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">It is useful for frequent or repeat pain assessments such as after a treatment or medication is provided.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">It is the most commonly used pain tool to <strong>evaluate pain intensity<\/strong>. However, it is not appropriate to use with young children. The general consensus has been that it can be used with children as young as eight and possibly younger (von Baeyer, 2009). A more recent systematic review found a strong recommendation for its use with children as young as six when assessing acute pain (Birnie et al., 2019). Use of this tool for any client should be based on their developmental age and capacity to engage with numbers. Again, keep in mind that the NRS is unidimensional: it only measures pain intensity at a specific time period (Slomp, 2019).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Visual Analogue Scale<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) provides a <strong>horizontal (or vertical line) with two anchors<\/strong>. The left side (or bottom) is marked \u201cno pain\u201d and the right side (or top) is marked \u201cworst imaginable pain.\u201d Clients may use their finger to point where on the line where their pain is; digital versions are also now available (see <strong>Figure 3<\/strong>).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">The VAS is used for similar reasons as the NRS, but it is useful when clients do not resonate with rating pain according to numbers. It is best used with adults considering that a recent systematic review found a weak recommendation for its use with children when assessing acute or chronic pain (Bernie et al., 2019).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2022\/09\/VLS2-graph02-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Visual analogue scale showing green for no pain to full red for worst imaginable pain.\" width=\"612\" height=\"344\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1046\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2022\/09\/VLS2-graph02-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2022\/09\/VLS2-graph02-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2022\/09\/VLS2-graph02-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2022\/09\/VLS2-graph02-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2022\/09\/VLS2-graph02-2048x1152.png 2048w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2022\/09\/VLS2-graph02-65x37.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2022\/09\/VLS2-graph02-225x127.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2022\/09\/VLS2-graph02-350x197.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Figure 3<\/strong>: Example of VAS<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Verbal Descriptor Tool<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">The Verbal Descriptor Tool (VDT) provides an opportunity for clients to <strong>describe the intensity of their pain using words<\/strong> (Pathak et al., 2018). The<\/span> client is asked: \u201cWhich word best describes your pain intensity?\u201d (Kar<span style=\"color: #000000\">cioglu et al., 2018). Various versions of the VDT have been developed (see <strong>Figure 4<\/strong>): the descriptors often have numbers associated with them, and additional modifiers of the descriptors such as \u201cvery mild\u201d and \u201cvery severe\u201d can be added.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">The VDT is also used for similar reasons as the NRS, but as with the VAS it is useful when a client does not resonate with rating pain according to numbers and prefers descriptors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/VLS2-graph03-300x169.png\" alt=\"Verbal descriptor tool showing scale of pain: zero for none, one for mild, two for moderate, three for severe.\" width=\"707\" height=\"398\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1047\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/VLS2-graph03-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/VLS2-graph03-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/VLS2-graph03-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/VLS2-graph03-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/VLS2-graph03-2048x1153.png 2048w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/VLS2-graph03-65x37.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/VLS2-graph03-225x127.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/VLS2-graph03-350x197.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 707px) 100vw, 707px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Figure 4<\/strong>: Verbal Descriptor Tool<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>FACES Pain Scales<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Several pain scales involving faces have been developed specifically for children to rate the intensity of their pain. Young children do not have the same cognitive and linguistic capacity as adults, so these types of scales are more developmentally appropriate, particularly for those aged 3\u20137 years and even older depending on their developmental age. The two most common are the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale and the FACES Pain Scale &#8211; Revised Version (FPS-R).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">The <strong>Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale<\/strong> (<strong>Figure 5<\/strong>) is a self-assessment tool that must be understood by the patient, so they are able to choose the face that best illustrates the physical pain they are experiencing. The tool is not for use with infants or patients who are unresponsive. It is not a tool to be used by a third person (i.e., parents, healthcare professionals, or caregivers) to assess the patient\u2019s pain. This tool has actually been used across the lifespan as well including in adolescents and adults.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Ask the child to <strong>choose the face that best shows the physical pain<\/strong> they are experiencing. You may need to explain what the faces mean: Face 0 doesn\u2019t hurt at all, Face 2 hurts just a little bit, Face 4 hurts a little bit more, Face 6 hurts even more, Face 8 hurts a whole lot, and Face 10 hurts as much as you can imagine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/FACES_Publication_English_Black-1024x396.jpg\" alt=\"Wong Baker FACES Pain rating scale. Detailed description in the text above.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"396\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1048 size-large\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/FACES_Publication_English_Black-1024x396.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/FACES_Publication_English_Black-300x116.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/FACES_Publication_English_Black-768x297.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/FACES_Publication_English_Black-1536x593.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/FACES_Publication_English_Black-2048x791.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/FACES_Publication_English_Black-65x25.jpg 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/FACES_Publication_English_Black-225x87.jpg 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/FACES_Publication_English_Black-350x135.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Figure 5<\/strong>: Wong-Baker FACES\u00ae Pain Rating Scale Wong-Baker FACES Foundation (2019).<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Similarly, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iasp-pain.org\/resources\/faces-pain-scale-revised\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Faces Pain Scale &#8211; Revised Version<\/strong><\/a> (FPS-R) provides a series of six faces with different expressions to illustrate pain (Hicks et al., 2001) &#8211; check out the FPS-R by clicking on the link. This <strong>revised version does not include faces with smiles or tears<\/strong>, which can help remove bias; for example, a smiling face may be interpreted as happiness, which does not necessarily mean the individual is not in pain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">When using this scale, say to the child something like: \u201cThese faces show how much something can hurt. This face [point to left-most face] shows no pain. The faces show more and more pain [point to each from left to right] up to this one [point to right-most face] &#8211; it shows very much pain. Point to the face that shows how much you hurt\u201d you feel right now (Hicks et al., 2001, p. 176).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Based on the findings of a systematic review, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iasp-pain.org\/resources\/faces-pain-scale-revised\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FPS-R<\/a> is recommended for children as young as seven for acute pain (Birnie et al., 2019).<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Contextualizing Inclusivity<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Like all tools, including pain tools, the FACES pain scale may not translate to all cultures. The Northern Pain Scale is another adapted version of the FACES scale. It was translated into Inuktitut and recreated with facial expressions and dress to reflect the culture of Inuk people in Canada (Ellis et al., 2011). As a nurse, it is important to consider the use of culturally relevant pain tools.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Sun-Cloud-Pain Scale<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Another scale that may be more relevant to assess pain and other symptoms in clients from certain cultures is the <strong>Sun-Cloud-Pain Scale<\/strong>. On this scale, 0 indicates that the client feels very well, whereas 5 indicates that the client is feeling very unwell specific to their pain (see <strong>Figure 6<\/strong>) (Lapum et al., 2019).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5-e1665522813511-1024x407.png\" alt=\"Sun cloud pain scale depicting full sun as level 0 up to thunderstorm with rain as level 5. Mix of sun and clouds = 1, partially cloudy = 2, cloudy = 3, cloudy with rain = 4.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"407\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1049 size-large\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5-e1665522813511-1024x407.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5-e1665522813511-300x119.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5-e1665522813511-768x305.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5-e1665522813511-1536x611.png 1536w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5-e1665522813511-65x26.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5-e1665522813511-225x89.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5-e1665522813511-350x139.png 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/421\/2024\/05\/unnamed-5-e1665522813511.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Figure 6<\/strong>: Sun-Cloud-Pain Scale. Graphic created using icons by Linseed Studio from the Noun Project.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>Activity: Check Your Understanding<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<div id=\"h5p-72\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-72\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"72\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Pain - Unidimensional pain assessment\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Birnie, K., Hundert, A., Lalloo, C., Nguyen, C., &amp; Stinson, J. (2019). Recommendations for selection of self-report pain intensity measures in children and adolescents: A systematic review and quality assessment of measurement properties. Pain: The Journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain, 160(1), 5-18<\/span>. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/j.pain.0000000000001377\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/j.pain.0000000000001377<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Ellis, J., Ootoova, A., Blouin, R., Rowley, B., Taylor, M., DeCourtney, C., Joyce, M., Greenley, W., Gaboury, I. (2011). Establishing the psychometric properties and preferences for the Northern Pain Scale. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 70(3), 274-285.<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3402\/ijch.v70i3.17823\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3402\/ijch.v70i3.17823<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Karcioglu, O., Topacoglu, H., Dikme, O., &amp; Dikme, O. (2018). A systematic review of the pain scales in adults: Which to use? The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 36(4), 707-714.<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ajem.2018.01.008\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ajem.2018.01.008<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Lapkin, S. , Ellwood, L. , Diwan, A. &amp; Fernandez, R. (2021). Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of multidimensional pain assessment tools used in postoperative adult patients: A systematic review of measurement properties. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 19 (2), 284-307<\/span>. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.11124\/JBISRIR-D-19-00407\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.11124\/JBISRIR-D-19-00407<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Lapum, J., St-Amant, O., Hughes, M., Petrie, P., Morrell, S., &amp; Mistry, S. (2019). The complete subjective health assessment<\/span>. <a href=\"https:\/\/ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub\/healthassessment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub\/healthassessment\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Pathak, A., Sharma, S., &amp; Jensen, M. (2018). The utility and validity of pain intensity rating scales for use in developing countries. Pain Reports, 3(5), 1-8.<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/PR9.0000000000000672\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/PR9.0000000000000672<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">Slomp, F. (2019). Transforming acute pain experience into a pain score: The challenges. Doctoral dissertation, University of Alberta<\/span>. <a href=\"https:\/\/era.library.ualberta.ca\/items\/39d68f48-556c-437d-92fb-164063b7a1e3\/view\/4c3abaf4-92bc-4b1d-83b2-bd14ef7e7fa8\/Slomp_Florence_J_201901_PhD.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/era.library.ualberta.ca\/items\/39d68f48-556c-437d-92fb-164063b7a1e3\/view\/4c3abaf4-92bc-4b1d-83b2-bd14ef7e7fa8\/Slomp_Florence_J_201901_PhD.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">von Baeyer, C. (2009). Numerical rating scale for self-report of pain intensity in children and adolescents: Recent progress and further questions. European Journal of Pain, 13(10), 1005-1007.<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ejpain.2009.08.006\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ejpain.2009.08.006<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"menu_order":11,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":"cc-by-nc"},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[85],"license":[56],"class_list":["post-1050","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","contributor-january-2023","license-cc-by-nc"],"part":1022,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1875,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1050\/revisions\/1875"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/1022"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1050\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1050"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1050"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}