Pain: The Fifth Vital Sign

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American Pain Society

Advocacy and Policy

Pain: The Fifth Vital Sign

APS has created the phrase " Pain: The 5th Vital Sign " to elevate

awareness of pain treatment among health care professionals. To support

this message and facilitate its widespread distribution, the society has

5th Vital Sign buttons and counter cards available.

Vital Signs are taken seriously. If pain were assessed with the same

zeal as other vital signs are, it would have a much better chance of

being treated properly. We need to train doctors and nurses to treat

pain as a vital sign. Quality care means that pain is measured and

treated.

, MD

Presidential Address

American Pain Society

Los Angeles, CA

November 11, 1995

Five Things You can Do To Improve Pain Assessment and Treatment

Consider pain the fifth vital sign and assess patients for pain

every time you check for pulse, blood pressure, core temperature, and

respiration.

Urge your colleagues to take their patients' complaints of pain

seriously. Remind them not to put patients in the position of asking for

a favor when they want pain relief.

Inform patients that they deserve to have their pain evaluated and

treated.

Work to implement the APS Quality Improvement Guidelines for the

Treatment of Acute Pain and Cancer Pain in your own practice setting.

(JAMA, 274, 1874-1880)

Wear your Fifth Vital SignTM button and make opportunities to

explain the importance of pain evaluation and treatment to other

healthcare professionals and to the public.

http://www.ampainsoc.org/advocacy/fifth.htm

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org