Barriers to effective pain reassessment in the Emergency Department
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Barriers to effective pain reassessment in the Emergency Department
IRAS ID
239766
Contact name
Rosalyn Squire
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Universiry of Exeter
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 6 days
Research summary
The motivation for this study comes from the literature, as well as personal experience of working clinically in the ED and seeing patients who are in pain. There appears a consistent historical theme throughout the literature stretching back over the last 20 years. Earlier studies by Todd et al (2007) reported high levels of pain intensity, both on ED arrival and at discharge, with relatively small changes in pain intensity scores during the ED stay. Little seems to have changed with a recent study by Carter et al (2016) demonstrates pain being under-treated through the lack of pain reassessment. For the purpose of this study a focus will be made on abdominal pain management, and reassessment. The rational for this is based on the principle of the small sample size being studied and the lack of clear early protocol and condition management guidelines for patients presenting with abdominal pain. There is a distinctive delay of initial evidence as blood tests and investigations tend to have a much longer return period than for example cardiac pain management where an Electrocardiogram (ECG) is available within minutes and provide a strong correlation of evidence to the set protocolised management of the condition.\nThe aims of this study is: \n•\tTo identify barriers to pain reassessment, and\n•\tTo establish potential solutions to current issues surrounding pain reassessment.\n
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SW/0096
Date of REC Opinion
10 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion