Smertekartlegging og smertelindring hos pasienter med demens : utfordringer og dilemmaer

Abstract

Aim: to explore nurses' experiences with pain assessment and pain relieving in patient with dementia. Background: research shows that patients with dementia are still suffering from unnecessary pain. The reason it may be nurses difficulty to interpret and map patients’ pain. Method: data were collected through three different focus group interviews. A semi – structured interview guide was developed to answer the research question. Data were analyzed by using a content analysis in four steps. Findings: The findings are divided into three sub – categories with a focus on: patients age, comorbiditet and polyfarmasi, routines for pain assessment and pain relieving, and ethical dilemmas in pain relieving in patients with dementia. Conclusions: Pain assessment and pain relieving in patients with dementia are challenging. Common procedures for pain assessment and individual pain relieving may be good prospects for patients get effective pain relieving. Regular use of pain assessment instruments tailored for the patient group will contribute to effective pain assessment and pain relieving in patients with dementia.