Management of oncological pain in the elderly by the nursing team os a private hospital in the state os São Paulo

Abstract

Background and objective: Elderly people represent 12% of the world's population, with this number expected to double by 2050. Cancer is the main public health problem in the world and is already among the four main causes of premature death in most countries. In the elderly population, the prevalence of pain is quite high. To guide the use of analgesics in the treatment of pain, the WHO created the “analgesic ladder”, classifying opioids according to their potency. In clinical practice, what often prevails is the individualized knowledge of each nurse, which directs the type of medication prescribed. To evaluate pain symptoms and pain management, using the Pain Management Index, in hospitalized elderly patients. Methodology: Observational, quantitative and retrospective study. The study population will be made up of the number of hospitalized patients in 2021. To collect the information, access to data in medical records was made. To investigate pain management, the Pain Management Index was used, which analyzes analgesic potency in relation to pain intensity. Results: 687 patients were selected, with 1178 pain scores recorded during the studied period. 590 records had their pain reset in the first reassessment, which took an average of 6h39 minutes. Regarding the PMI calculation, most patients did not have their pain controlled. Conclusion: It is necessary to standardize the instrument used in the research, so that it has a theoretical-clinical basis, making the best analgesic choice for the patient, since the majority of them do not have adequate control.