Pain assessment and management for people with dementia in long-term care in Ontario
Date
2021-03-09
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Abstract
Providing nursing care for people with dementia and pain has many challenges. The studies
completed for this thesis explore the depths of these challenges by analyzing the concept of
nurses’ clinical judgment in caring for this population, as well as through the analysis of resident
assessments conducted in long-term care facilities in Ontario. By understanding clinical
judgment as well as patterns from resident assessment data, nurses can better understand the
steps required to provide adequate pain management for people with dementia. The findings
show that long term care residents with dementia who have untreated pain exhibit several
behavioral indicators of pain. This supports the creation of policies and best practice guidelines
that include a tailored assessment of pain using specialized knowledge and tools. These studies
strive to improve the quality of life of residents living with dementia and pain by improving pain
management through proper assessment and intervention.
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Keywords
Clinical judgment, pain, dementia, assessment, treatment, nurses, long-term care