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Nursing vocabulary · Patient Assessment

Pain score

Meaning in nursing, with examples

/ˈpeɪn skɔːr/nounCore term

In nursing, pain score means: A number that shows how strong a patient's pain is, most often on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (the worst pain imaginable).

In Turkish: ağrı skoru, ağrı puanı

How it is used

Nurses ask for a pain score before and after giving pain relief to see whether it worked. A typical question is 'On a scale of zero to ten, how bad is the pain?' For children or patients who cannot speak, there are picture scales with faces and scales based on behaviour.

Example sentences

  1. Her pain score was 8 before the morphine and 3 an hour later.

  2. Can you give me a pain score from zero to ten?

Common collocations

  • record a pain score
  • ask for a pain score
  • pain score of 7
  • reassess the pain score
  • assessmentA careful, organised check of a patient's physical and mental condition and needs, used to plan and adjust their nursing care.
  • PRNWritten on a prescription to show that a medicine is given only when needed, for example for pain or nausea, not at fixed times. It comes from Latin 'pro re nata'.
  • vital signsThe basic body measurements that show how well a patient's body is working: usually temperature, pulse, breathing rate, blood pressure and oxygen level.
  • reassureTo say or do something that makes a worried person feel calmer and less afraid.

More terms: Patient Assessment

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.