Which assessment tool is commonly used to measure patient pain intensity?

The numeric rating scale is a widely used assessment tool for measuring patient pain intensity due to its simplicity and effectiveness in capturing subjective pain experiences. This tool typically involves asking patients to rate their pain on a scale, often from 0 to 10, where 0 represents no pain and 10 represents the worst pain imaginable. This helps healthcare providers gauge the severity of a patient's pain and monitor changes over time, guiding treatment decisions.

In contrast, a pulse oximeter is primarily used to measure oxygen saturation levels in the blood, which is not directly related to pain assessment. Temperature monitors track body temperature to assess for fever or infection but do not provide information about pain levels. A blood pressure cuff is utilized to measure blood pressure readings, which, while important in overall assessments, does not reflect pain intensity. Each of these other tools serves a specific purpose in clinical assessment but does not specifically evaluate the level of pain a patient is experiencing.