Att identifera smärta hos patienter med demens : En litteraturstudie

Sammanfattning: Background: 130,000 - 150,000 people in Sweden suffer from dementia and the patient group is growing all over the world. The disease affects a person's ability to communicate. The cognitive difficulties of these patients present challenges for correct pain assessment. Aim: The purpose of the study was to investigate challenges, and which methods and instruments the nurse uses to identify and relieve pain in dementia patients. Method: A literature review of ten original articles. Results were analyzed qualitatively.  Result: Two main themes with sub-themes have been identified. Challenges for correct pain assessment in patients with dementia, with sub-themes Disease symptoms that complicate pain assessment and Organizational factors and the need for more knowledge. The second main theme is Identifying pain in patients with dementia, with sub-themes Meeting and interpreting the patient's expression of pain and Pain assessment tools and pain relief. Conclusion: There are challenges for the nurse in assessing pain in people with dementia. What complicates pain assessment is the patients inability to express themselves verbally. More knowledge among staff is needed to increase quality. This also includes clearer guidelines for pain assessment, as well as resources/time.