Postoperative Pain Reported to Nurses and Physicians

Effective pain control following surgical procedures is a goal for both the patient as well as the medical staff caring for them. There have been numerous studies evaluating differing treatment pathways, but most studies have relied on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) to evaluate outcomes. These scales are subjective score given by the patient with no objective data input, therefore making comparisons subject to possible bias. There are no known studies comparing the pain scores provided by the patient to the surgical team compared to the nursing staff caring for the patient. The aim will be to compare these values to see if patients are consistent in their pain rating.