Contribution of multidisciplinary team to pain management

A fundamental part of satisfactory acute pain management is the regular and objective assessment of the patient's pain. The responsibility for this ongoing assessment is generally incorporated into the nursing role. Given the multidisciplinary nature of modern health care it is contended that this assessment is not the sole obligation of nursing or medical staff and that any healthcare professional who is offering treatment or therapy to patients should incorporate pain assessment into their treatment plan. This article outlines a small research study that assesses the contribution that the multidisciplinary team (MDT) makes towards pain management and pain assessment in particular. It highlights the importance of pain assessment and the fact that management is a multidisciplinary issue.