Validation of the Polish Version of CPOT

Pain experienced by critically ill patients is a major problem affecting nearly 50% of the patients. Assessing pain in critically ill patients is a challenge even in an intensive care unit (ICU) with a minimal opioid-based sedation protocol. In patients who are unable to self-report pain, behavioural scales are used, such as CPOT - Critical Care Pain Observation Tool. Aim: The aim of this study was to validate the Polish version of a behavioural pain assessment method - CPOT in an ICU with a minimal sedation protocol (opioid-based) versus self-report pain using Numeric rating scale (NRS) in both delirious and non-delirious patients (assessed using Confusion Assessment Method for ICU, CAM-ICU). Method: A prospective observational cohort study will include 70 patients. The patients will be observed during a non-nociceptive procedure (wash of an arm) and a nociceptive procedure (turning). Patients will be observed 5 minutes before, during, and 15 min after the two interventions (six assessments). Each CPOT assessment will be carried out by two observers blinded to each other. To validate the Polish CPOT translation calculations of interrater reliability, criterion validity and discriminant validity will be performed.