A reader asked, “What is OPQRST?”
OPQRST is mneomic for pain assessment.
Onset – Did the pain start suddenly or gradually get worse and worse?
Provokes/Palliates – Does anything make the pain better or worse?
Quality – What does the pain feel like?
Radiates – Point to where it hurts the most. Does the pain go anywhere from there?
Severity – How would you rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10?
Time – How long have you had the pain?
Remember OPQRST starts a conversation. Don’t limit yourself to just six questions. Be a detective and dig in as needed.
Read more about adding associated signs or pertinent negatives to the OPQRST and the importance of asking lots of questions in two EMS1.com articles.
