Clinically significant pain is experienced by just over a third of all hospitalised patients, affecting around a half of surgical and a quarter of medical admissions

Greater attention should be placed on assessing pain independently of vital signs, when there is evidence of pain that needs to be relieved.

Future research needs to examine the development and implementation of minimum standards for clinicians assessing and responding to pain in hospitalised patients.

Website: http://www.arjonline.org/medicine-and-health-care/american-research-journal-of-nursing/