Healthcare providers’ accuracy in assessing patients’ pain: A systematic review

Abstract

ObjectiveHealthcare providers satisfy an important role in providing appropriate care in the prevention and management of acute and chronic pain, highlighting the importance of providers’ abilities to accurately assess patients’ pain. We systematically reviewed the literature on healthcare providers’ pain assessment accuracy. MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and PsycINFO to identify studies addressing providers’ pain assessment accuracy, or studies that compared patients’ self-report of pain with providers’ assessment of pain. Results60 studies met the inclusion criteria. Healthcare providers had moderate to good pain assessment accuracy. Physicians and nurses showed similar pain assessment accuracy. Differences in pain assessment accuracy were found according to providers’ clinical experience, the timing of the pain assessment, vulnerable patient populations and patients’ pain intensity. ConclusionEducation and training aimed at improving providers with poor pain assessment accuracy is discussed especially in relation to those with limited clinical experience (<4 years) or a great deal of clinical experience (>10 years) and those providing care for vulnerable patient populations. Practice implicationsMore research on characteristics that influence providers’ pain assessment accuracy and trainings to improve pain assessment accuracy in medical and continuing education may improve pain treatment for patients.