Pain in intensive care unit patients-A longitudinal study.

When pain was assessed regularly with pain assessment tools, 10% of patients were in pain at rest and 27% were in pain during turning. The proportions of patients who were in pain were significantly higher for patients able to self-report pain, compared with patients not able to self-report (p < .001). Several predictors were associated with being in pain. It is important to be aware of these predictors in order to improve pain management.