Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Posted March 16, 2006 --- Cheryl wrote: > Heck, I wouldn't rate anything a 10 unless I was on > the floor writhing > and screaming and unable to breathe, but I've seen > other people calmly > state that they're in 10 pain all the time. How can > that be? They're > aren't in any more pain than I am, they just use the > scale > differently. Cheryl in AZ Hi Cheryl You know the difference between what a 5 for you, can be a 10 for someone else. The problem is, that physicians and other health care workers, don't apply it that way. They decide that what is a 5, 6, or 10 to themselves should be the same for someone else. I consider my DH to be a very compasionate person, and yet, when he worked as a nurse, he has phrased it just that way. What is a 10 to him. It took me a long time to change his point of view. So many things depend on a person's own experience. If you have had nothing worse than a stubbed toe, then a sprained wrist feels like a 10, etc. That's the problem with the pain scale. Don't you hate the horrid little faces they place beside the numbers on the charts? Kaylene Moderator __________________________________________________ Quote
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Posted March 16, 2006 > Hi Cheryl > You know the difference between what a 5 for you, can > be a 10 for someone else. The problem is, that > physicians and other health care workers, don't apply > it that way. They decide that what is a 5, 6, or 10 to > themselves should be the same for someone else. > But that's my point exactly! Medical professionals are *supposed* to be trained to NOT do exactly that! They are supposed to know better! They are *supposed* to understand that everyone has a different way of applying that scale, because they are *supposed* to be trained medical professionals! It drives me batty that so many seem to be so incompetent on such a basic issue of pain assessment, when pain is considered a vital sign!!! Argh!! >So many things depend on a person's own experience. If > you have had nothing worse than a stubbed toe, then a > sprained wrist feels like a 10, etc. > > That's the problem with the pain scale. Don't you hate > the horrid little faces they place beside the numbers > on the charts? Actually, the scale with the horrid little faces (the Baker-Wong Scale) was originally developed specifically for use with children, who are not yet literate enough to understand a numerical or word- based scale system. Interesting, isn't it, that doctors now use it for almost everyone - literate adults included? I have a theory that one reason doctors use the Baker-Wong faces scale for adults is that they find that it makes the application of the scale more consistent across patients. For example, if you're not actually on the verge of crying because of your pain, you're less likely to label your pain a " 10 " if you see that crying face, than if you were just asked to give it a number. No matter what question you're asking someone, it always makes for a more valid assessment when every number on a scale has some sort of descriptive label - either a word or picture or something - attached to it to help the respondent know what the number " means " . That's why the Baker-Wong scale works a little better that just asking people to assign a number to their pain. As you said in your statement above, just telling the patient that the top of the scale is " compared to the worst pain you can imagine " doesn't mean a lot when all you've ever experienced is a stubbed toe - and then what do all the other numbers on the scale really mean, in comparison to what? It's so tough to answer that question!! Okay, research methods class dismissed!! As you can probably tell, this is an issue that's near and dear to my heart, from a theoretical perspective. It probably interests me a lot more than the rest of you, so sorry if I've babbled on.... Cheryl in AZ Quote
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2006 Report Posted March 17, 2006 Cheryl, no apologizes needed it was very informative for me. Thank you. I will post again on Monday or sunday nite. I am leaving from work to babysit the grandkids for the week end. Love to you all. -- God's peace be with you always! Elaine Quote
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2006 Report Posted March 17, 2006 I had used the pain scale in relation to my experience. Then I saw a definition of the scale, I don't know if it was on this site or some other, but I realized I was using it all wrong. I'll see if I saved the scale.It was a real eye opener. What I was calling a 4-5 was defined as a 7!!!! It actually makes the pain scale less subjective to the health professional. Quote
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2006 Report Posted March 17, 2006 If it's not hard science, medical professionals as a whole are not very competent. Maybe they SHOULD know these things -- I wonder if that was taught in any of their required classes or was it just something stated along the way? Look how clueless they've been about the psychological impact of illness, pain and procedures. It's only recently that MDs are acknowledging that childhood chronic illness affects the child's development! Sooo I am not surprised by this. My partner is currently a cper and we have been banging our heads into walls since last oct. I talked to her about the pain scale -- the scale I use is if I can't work -- it's def. over a 6. If it is keeping me from sleeping it's definitely more than an 8. It is absurd that doctors expect someone ON pain medication to still indicate a 9-10 pain level...someone posted that the dr said she couldn't have RSD b/c her pain level wasn't high enough even though she was on pain meds. :::rolling eyes:::: Some doctors like vivid descriptions (feels like rusty nails) other doctors obviously do NOT like it and dismiss the patient. Communication skills MUST be better emphasized in MD programs. Cheryl wrote: <snipped> But that's my point exactly! Medical professionals are *supposed* to be trained to NOT do exactly that! They are supposed to know better! Quote
Guest guest Posted March 18, 2006 Report Posted March 18, 2006 Forget communication courses! What " they " need is sensitivity training! LOL! > > If it's not hard science, medical professionals as a whole are not very competent... Communication skills MUST be better emphasized in MD programs. > Quote
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