The nurse is caring for a 48-year-old patient who is intubated and on a ventilator following extensive abdominal surgery
Although the patient is responsive, the nurse is not able to read the patient's lips as the patient attempts to mouth the words. Which of the following assessment tools would be the most appropriate for the nurse to use when assessing the patient's pain level? (Select all that apply.) a. The FACES scale
b. Pain IntensityScale
c. The PQRST method
d. The Visual Analogue Scale
A, D
The PQRST method and the Pain Intensity Scale require verbalization and/or writing to communicate pain level. The FACES scale and the Visual Analogue Scale can be used by simply having the patient point to the appropriate place. Because of this, they are the easiest to use with children, people with language barriers, and intubated patients.
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