Introduction. In Poland, among patients coming to hospital emergency departments (ED), one third require immediate surgical treatment. About one third are transferred to long-term intensive care. The remaining patients require a different type of care, e.g. consultation, healing wounds, observation in the emergency department. From there, they might either be referred to another hospital department or sent home after receiving outpatient help.

Aim. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of pain and stress in patients treated in the emergency department with particular emphasis on the factors that determine their level.

Material and methods. The study group consisted of 200 individuals treated in the emergency department of the Regional Hospital No. 2 in Rzeszów in 2013. The applied research method was a diagnostic survey that used a questionnaire as a research tool. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS 20, whereas a statistically significant dependence was considered in those with level of significance p≤0.05.

Results. Most respondents reported pain and feelings of stress while staying in the ED. Women and the unemployed were significantly less likely to report pain. Factors like gender, age, education level, and the coexistence of chronic diseases significantly affected the degree of stress among patients in the ED.

Conclusion. Each patient treated at the emergency department should receive holistic care, so that the pain and stress of his injuries are reduced as soon as possible.