Those residents who are able to state their need for analgesia are more likely to receive pain medication than those who are not able to communicate this need.
Cognitive impairment hinders the assessment of pain and pain management by health care staff.
Techniques commonly used to assess pain include observations of behavior such as agitation, facial grimacing, splinting of a body part, or withdrawal. The purpose of this pilot study is to identify how nurses decide to administer pain medication to elderly nursing home residents with dementia. This pilot will also provide additional knowledge of the research measures and techniques, so that adjustments may be made prior to carrying out the main study. Responses from participants will be helpful in determining future intervention studies.