TOTAL PAIN Dame Cicely Saunders coined the term ‘‘total pain’’ and suggested that pain can be understood as having physical, psychological, social, emotional, and spiritual components. The combination of these elements is believed to result in a ‘‘total pain’’ experience that is individualized and specific to each patient's particular situation. The concept of ‘‘total pain’’ may serve as the basis for pain assessment in order to intervene successfully. When patients report pain, hurting, or suffering, it is important to assess these experiences through a multidimensional lens (multidimensional evaluation) that allows for the appreciation of all possible causes and influences. https://pallipedia.org/total-pain/