Validated Pain Assessment Tools

The following is a list of validated pain assessment tools for use in neonates, children and adults. Please refer to the Assessment and Management of Pain clinical best practice guideline for further details on the indicators/components and considerations for each tool.

Unidimensional Tools for Children, Adolescents and Adults:

• Assesses one aspect of pain such as intensity
• These pain assessment tools require a patient to self-report pain

• Examples include:
  
  • Faces Pain Scale- Revised (FPS-R)
  • Numeric Rating Score (NRS)
  • Verbal Rating Score (VRS)

Multidimensional Tools for Children, Adolescents and Adults:

• Particularly useful when a more comprehensive pain assessment is required
• These pain assessment tools require a patient to self-report pain
• Examples include:
  
  • Brief Pain Inventory, Short Form (BPI-SF)
  • Pediatric Pain Questionnaire (PPQ)

Pain Assessment Tools for Neonates:

• Examples include:
  
  • Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS)
  • Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP)

Behavioural Pain Assessment Tools for Children:

• Examples include:
  
  • Revised FLACC (r-FLACC)
  • Non-communicating Children’s Pain Checklist – Revised (NCCPC-R)

Observational Behavioural Pain Assessment Tool for Adults:

• Examples include:
  
  • Checklist of non-verbal indicators (e.g. verbal; facial grimaces/winces; bracing; restlessness; rubbing; vocal complaints etc.)

Behavioural Pain Assessment Tools for Non-Verbal Critically Ill Adults:

• Examples include:
  
  • Behavioural Pain Scale (BPS)
  • Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT)
  • The Checklist of Nonverbal Pain Indicators (CNPI)

Pain Assessment Tools for Elders with Cognitive Impairment:

• Examples include:
  
  • Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia (PAINAD) Scale
  • Pain Assessment Checklist for Seniors with Limited Ability to Communicate (PACSLAC)
  • DOLOPLUS 2 scale