Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death, which ranges from mild and irreversible to severe and life-threatening injuries.Objectives: This study aimed to compare the pain score in patients with brain disorders using Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) and Nonverbal Pain Scale (NVPS).Methods: A descriptive comparative study was performed in Ilam province, Iran, in a group of head trauma patients admitted to the intensive care unit who were intubated. One hundred twenty observations of nurses' practice were performed. A purposive sampling method was utilized. The CPOT and NVPS assessed the pain, and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) assessed the state of con-sciousness. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 software.Results: Patients' mean +/- SD age was 38.45 +/- 4.2 years. The mean +/- SD pain score on the CPOT before the procedure was 0.39 +/- 0.49 in the facial expression dimension, 0.56 +/- 0.49 in activity, 0.54 +/- 0.50 in muscle tension, and 0.55 +/- 0.49 in compatibility with the ventilator. The mean +/- SD pain score on the NVPS before the procedure was 0.97 +/- 0.20 in facial expression dimension, 0.94 +/- 0.49 in activity, 0.95 +/- 0.31 in guarding, 0.64 +/- 0.49 in vital signs, and 0.92 +/- 0.53 in excitement.Conclusions: Both CPOT and NVPS were effective in diagnosing patients' pain, but the CPOT was more appropriate for diagnosing pain in intubated patients.