Pain management: evaluation of practices adopted by health professional of a secondary public hospital

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pain is the primary reason for looking for healthcare services. So, this study aimed at knowing healthcare professionals practices with regard to managing pain in a secondary public hospital of the Northern region of Paraná. METHODS: This is a descriptive and exploratory study with quantitative approach, carried out from March to May 2015 by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. Participated in the study 112 healthcare professionals (nurses, physicians, physiotherapists and nursing technicians). Data were analyzed by basic descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Pain was a vital sign for 88.4% of professionals; however only 18.8% have reported having some pain evaluation scale as working material. Pain is always recorded on medical charts by 49.1% of professionals. Difficulties to evaluate pain were reported by 46.4%. With regard to drug administration, 27 (24.2%) professionals have reported having some difficulty to administer drugs to patients. For 48.2%, patients must have moderate pain to receive analgesics. Half professionals have never participated in specific pain training courses and 73.2% have answered that patients lie when reporting pain presence and intensity. CONCLUSION: Deficiencies which may impair adequate pain management were observed. The lack of specific qualification regarding pain may lead professionals to ineffective approaches, often prolonging patients' distress.

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