JNCR
Journal of Nursing Care Research

The mission of the journal is to contribute to the development of nursing science and care practices in Turkey and internationally. It is also to promote and disseminate new knowledge and research data for evidence-based care practices at all levels of nursing services. The Journal of Nursing Care Research deals with Fundamentals of Nursing, Internal Medicine Nursing, Surgical Nursing, Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing, Child Health and Diseases Nursing, Mental Health and Diseases Nursing, Public Health Nursing and Management in Nursing and accepts articles on these topics.

eISSN: 3023-7270
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Original Article
Evaluating the postoperative pain of video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomypatients by four pain scales
Abstract
Aims: Evaluation of postoperative pain level in patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy is important in establishing pain protocols. The aim was to investigate the pain assessment scale that best reflects, most accurately, and effectively describes the patients' pain levels.
Methods: This single-center study was conducted with an observational-descriptive design. The study was completed with 41 patients in the thoracic surgery clinic of a training and research hospital in the fall of 2019 and spring of 2020. The questionnaire form included questions about the descriptive and pain characteristics of the participants. Pain levels were questioned using 4 pain scales (These scales were Numeric Rating Scale [NRS, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Faces Pain Scale revised (FPS-R), and Color Analog Scale (CAS)]. before and approximately 1-2 hours after the administration of postoperative painkillers. The scale that best reflected their pain was questioned.
Results: Before the administration of analgesics, the pain characteristics were assessed when patients reported experiencing postoperative pain. Accordingly, most of the participants (36.6%, n=15) stated that they had "back pain at the incision line of the anterior chest wall", 19.5% had pain in the upper anterior aspect of the chest, and 9.8% had anterior chest pain. He stated that 34.1% had pain spreading to other regions, and 6 patients had pain radiating to the back. 39% (n=16) reported stinging pain, 19.5% (n=8) tingling, and 17.1% (n=7) sharp pain. A very strong and significant positive correlation was found between NRS and VAS in four scale correlations with pre-analgesic pain level. It turned out that the best tool was the NRS.
Conclusion: Comparison of four pain scale scores before and after analgesia in this patient group showed that the highest mean score was obtained from NRS, followed by VAS, CAS and FPS-R, respectively.

Keywords : Sympathectomy, pain, postoperative, thoracic, nursing

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Article available in :
Volume 2, Issue 3, 2025
Page : 69-75
https://doi.org/10.51271/JNCR-0032
Article Information
Received : 09 Haz 2025
Accepted : 04 Eyl 2025
Published : 19 Eyl 2025
Corresponding Author :

Öznur Kavaklı: Gülhane Faculty of Nursing, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Kavaklı, Ö., Özdemir, E., & Şentürk, D. (2025). Evaluating the postoperative pain of video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy patients by Four Pain Scales. J Nurs Care Res, 2(3), 69-75.

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