Abstract

Pain assessment and reassessment are required to provide optimal postoperative pain care. Pain assessment helps determine whether pain management is adequate, whether analgesic or analgesic dose changes are required, whether changes in the postoperative pain management plan or additional interventions are warranted, and in the case of difficult to manage pain whether specialty consultation or other measures are needed. Because pain is inherently subjective, patient self-report is the primary basis of all pain assessments.