FACTORS AFFECTING THE ASSESSMENT OF POSTOPERATIVE PAIN - A LITERATURE-REVIEW

The report of the Royal college of Surgeons and College of Anaesthetis ts has stimulated much interest in the relief of pain following surger y. Despite the development of new techniques such as patient controlle d analgesia, preemptive analgesia and complementary techniques that ha ve helped to improve the situation, the role of pain assessment remain s central. This literature review discusses the standard of nurses' as sessment and looks at the factors suggested to influence nurses' asses sment of pain.