Publications by authors named "Patty Joseph"
Background: Self-report is the best indicator of pain; however, pain is more difficult to assess in noncommunicative patients who may be receiving mechanical ventilation or sedated and unable to report pain.
Objectives: To evaluate the validity and sensitivity of 6 pain scales (Adult Nonverbal Pain Scale; Behavior Pain Scale [BPS]; Comfort Scale; FACES; Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability scale; Pain Assessment Behavioral Scale with Numeric Rating Scale [NRP]) to identify the best measure of pain in noncommunicative patients.
Methods: Fifty communicative and 100 noncommunicative patients receiving mechanical ventilation were observed before and during routine physical examination and endotracheal tube suctioning.