An Analysis of Italian Nurses’ Approach to Patients’ Pain: A Nationwide Online Survey

Table 3

Evaluation of pain according to affiliation of departments considered.

Variable	Total responders		Department Group 1^a		Department Group 2^b
Pain is seen as the fifth vital sign. Is this true in your working place?
Yes	696	100.0	217	81.9	325	75.4	0.045
No			48	18.1	106	24.6
How frequently do you assess pain in your hospital?
When requested by the patient	695	99.9	97	36.6	185	43.0	0.06
At patient’s admission in the ward			63	23.8	103	24.0
Once			17	6.4	23	5.3
Twice			80	30.2	105	24.4
Never			8	3.0	14	3.3
Do you know the scales for pain evaluation?
Yes	696	100.0	228	86.0	387	89.8	0.13
No			37	14.0	44	10.2
Do you usually apply the scales for pain evaluation?
Yes	696	100.0	188	70.9	299	69.4	0.66
No			77	29.1	132	30.6
Does the evaluation scale affect the subsequent assistance plans?
Yes	696	100.0	230	86.8	365	84.7	0.44
No			35	13.2	66	15.3
Are you aware about devices or invasive procedures for pain treatment?
Yes	696	100.0	157	59.3	174	40.4	<0.0001
No			108	40.7	257	59.6
Does a reference person for pain management exist in your hospital ward?
Yes, a physician	696	100.0	105	39.6	110	25.5	<0.0001
Yes, a nurse			12	4.5	38	8.8
Yes, a physician and nurse			48	18.1	69	16.0
No reference person is present			100	37.7	214	49.7
Are you aware about the existence of a law prescribing as mandatory the measurement of pain?
Yes	695	99.9	217	82.2	339	78.7	0.26
No			47	17.8	92	21.3
Are, in your opinion, problems related to pain sufficiently taken into account by care providers in your working department?
Yes	696	100.0	178	67.2	235	54.5	0.001
No			87	32.8	196	45.5

^aDepartment Group 1: surgical departments. ^bDepartment Group 2: medical departments.