ABSTRACT
Clients and patients in all healthcare settings experience pain and discomfort, whether it is physical, emotional or spiritual. Studies suggest that over 50% of patients have severe pain after surgery (in hospital and following discharge) and that more than 30% of patients in medical wards report their pain as being severe (Macintyre et al. 2010). Furthermore, 7.8 million people – or one in seven of the United Kingdom (UK) population – have chronic pain (Donaldson 2009). Managing pain and promoting comfort are therefore essential skills in nursing practice.
