Pain Assessment

PQRSTU

What is the acronym used to assess for pain?

PQRSTU

What does the P stand for in PQRSTU?

P = Provokes/Palliation

What kind of questions would you ask for the “P” in PQRSTU?

What makes your pain worse?

What makes your pain feel better?

What does the Q stand for in PQRSTU?

Quality

What questions would you ask for the “Q” in PQRSTU?

What does the pain feel like?

Does it move around or radiate elsewhere?

NOTE = Instruct the patient to point to the location of the pain

What does the S stand for in PQRSTU?

Severity

What kind of questions would you ask for the “S” in PQRSTU?

How would you rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10, with “0” being no pain and “10” being the worst pain you’ve ever experienced?

What does the T in PQRSTU stand for?

Timing/Treatment

What kind of questions do you ask for the T in PQRSTU?

When did the pain start?

What were you doing when the pain started?

Is the pain constant or does it come and go?

If the pain is intermittent, when does it occur?

How long does the pain last?

Have you taken anything to help relieve the pain?

What does the U stand for in PQRSTU?

Understanding

What kind of questions would you ask for the “U” in PQRSTU?

What do you think is causing the pain?

What does each letter in PQRSTU mean?

P = Provocation/Palliation

Q = Quality

R = Region

S = Severity

T = Timing/Treatment

U = Understanding