A Study on the Types of Pain Identification by Nurses for Nursing Home Patients with Dementia

Lee, Su Jung; Chang, Sung Ok

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was done to identify the types of pain identification made by nurses caring for patients with dementia in nursing homes. METHOD: To collect the Q-population, 12 nurses working in nursing homes were interviewed. From the collected data, 69 statements were derived and eight patterns of pain identification were categorized. Thirty statements were derived as the Q-sample. Thirty nurses were sampled as the P-sample. The 30 Q-cards with Q-statements were Q-sorted by the P-sample. The results of the Q-sorting were coded and analyzed using the PC QUANL program.
RESULTS
Five types of pain identification were identified by nurses for patients with dementia living in nursing homes; Type 1 was named "estimating based on verbal expressions". Type 2 was named "reasoning through physical symptoms". Type 3 was named "confirming pain based on nonverbal expressions being consistent with conditions of physical function". Type 4 was named "empathizing with vocal expressions". Type 5 was named "confirming by comparison with objective pain indicators one by one".
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that comprehensive understanding of pain identification by nurses could help improve the assessment of pain in patients with dementia.