Silent Pain, Compassionate Care: ICU Nurses' Approaches to Pain Management in Nonverbal Critically Ill Patients.

PURPOSE: Effective pain management in critically ill patients unable to communicate verbally remains a major challenge worldwide, particularly due to limitations in pain assessment. This study focuses on how intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in Turkey approach pain management.

DESIGN

A qualitative study based on descriptive content analysis was conducted.

METHODS

Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 intensive care nurses at a university hospital. The data were coded and categorized following the steps of descriptive content analysis.

FINDINGS: Four categories emerged from the interviews: factors contributing to pain, pain recognition, pain management, and recommendations for improving pain relief. Pharmacological methods were the most frequently used strategies, while nonpharmacological and empathic approaches were reported less frequently. Nurses also highlighted systemic barriers, such as staffing shortages, workload, and environmental stressors in the intensive care unit, that hinder effective pain management.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the need for increased education on nonpharmacological painkillers, culturally sensitive approaches to pain expression, and improved intensive care unit working conditions. This information is particularly important for perianesthesia nursing, where timely recognition and holistic management of pain are critical to patient recovery.