Integrating the concept of pain interference into pain management.

Undertreatment of pain is a significant problem. Nursing pain assessments have been identified as an area for improvement. This concept analysis sought to examine the use of pain interference as a measurement to assist pain management practices. Existing literature including the term pain interference was reviewed for the years 2000-2010. Pain interference is a common outcome measurement in clinical research. It is not well differentiated from other pain concepts in routine nursing pain assessments, nor consistently defined in research articles. Pain interference has been linked to quality of pain management and recommended as a standard of pain measurement. It aligns with current and emerging theories in pain and symptom control. Further exploration is needed to determine whether integrating this concept into nursing practice will result in improved patient pain experiences.