Pain assessment and management for people with dementia in long-term care in Ontario

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.