British journal of nursing (Mark Allen Publishing)
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clinical audits highlight areas where care may not be of the desired quality; they are essential to ensure care is safe and effective. Effective assessment and management of pain have been shown to improve patient wellbeing and clinical outcomes. ⋯ providing patients in intensive care with appropriate analgesia benefits their physical and psychological health. Areas for improvement identified in this audit include that pain assessments need to be carried out and documented regularly. The audit has implications for practice in that it shows a need for reinforced education for staff, better communication and updates to promote pain assessment and the implementation of guidelines.