Pain management nursing practice assessment in older adults with dementia

Aim: To assess pain management nursing practice in older adults with dementia through electronic health records (EHR).

Design: Retrospective study.

Methods: Data were collected from EHR related to pain management in older adults with dementia treated at the Acute Geriatrics Unit (AGU) of a university hospital in early 2018.

Results: EHR related to the pain of 111 patients were reviewed. Pain intensity was assessed at admission in 88% of patients and a median of 1.9 times per day of stay. A disproportionate number of the assessments (39%) occurred during the late shift. A median of 1 drug per day was administered. Pain was recorded in 28% of patients’ care plans, and non-pharmacological interventions were recorded in 12%. In conclusion, exist variability in pain management nursing practice in older adults with dementia. Admission diagnosis correlated with the analgesic administration schedule, the number of drugs administered and the number of pain nursing annotations.

Acute care; comfort; dementia; nurses; nursing care; pain management.