Nurses' experiences with assessing pain in patients with dementia in nursing homes: a qualitative study.
- 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Ambulance Team, Helse Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
- 2Skincare Clinic, Din Hud V/Oda Dyrnes Schei, Surnadal, Norway.
- 3Department of Health Sciences and Social Care, Molde University College, Britvegen 2, Molde, 6410, Norway. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Approximately 80% of long-term care residents in Norwegian nursing homes have dementia. Patients with dementia represent a vulnerable group that tends to underreport pain, mainly due to difficulty expressing pain. Nurses are responsible for assessing pain in patients with dementia when signs of discomfort are evident through behavioural changes. Knowledge of the diagnosis and the patient is essential for proper detection and assessment. We aimed to explore nurses' experiences in assessing pain in patients with dementia in nursing homes.Methods
Data were collected through eight individual interviews with nurses at two Norwegian nursing homes in May 2024. To analyse the data, a qualitative design using thematic analysis was conducted following Braun and Clarke's six steps.Results
Three main themes were identified through analysis: (1) pain assessment is similar to detective work; (2) pain assessment of patients with dementia requires collaboration; and (3) nurses' desire to improve the quality of pain assessment for patients with dementia.Conclusion
Pain assessment in people with dementia was described by nurses as a complex process requiring the interpretation of behavioural changes, knowledge of the individual patient, and the integration of information from multiple sources. The findings highlight the importance of clinical reasoning, collaboration, and continuity in supporting pain assessment when self-reports are limited.
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BibTeX
@article{akselberg2026nurses,
title = {{Nurses' experiences with assessing pain in patients with dementia in nursing homes: a qualitative study.}},
author = {Arlén Akselberg and Oda Dyrnes Schei and Stine Hauvik},
journal = {BMC nursing},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12912-026-05110-z},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42907847},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Nurses' experiences with assessing pain in patients with dementia in nursing homes: a qualitative study.
AU - Arlén Akselberg
AU - Oda Dyrnes Schei
AU - Stine Hauvik
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - BMC nursing
DO - 10.1186/s12912-026-05110-z
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42907847
AB - Background Approximately 80% of long-term care residents in Norwegian nursing homes have dementia. Patients with dementia represent a vulnerable group that tends to underreport pain, mainly due to difficulty expressing pain. Nurses are responsible for assessing pain in patients with dementia when signs of discomfort are evident through behavioural changes. Knowledge of the diagnosis and the patient is essential for proper detection and assessment. We aimed to explore nurses' experiences in assessing pain in patients with dementia in nursing homes.Methods Data were collected through eight individual interviews with nurses at two Norwegian nursing homes in May 2024. To analyse the data, a qualitative design using thematic analysis was conducted following Braun and Clarke's six steps.Results Three main themes were identified through analysis: (1) pain assessment is similar to detective work; (2) pain assessment of patients with dementia requires collaboration; and (3) nurses' desire to improve the quality of pain assessment for patients with dementia.Conclusion Pain assessment in people with dementia was described by nurses as a complex process requiring the interpretation of behavioural changes, knowledge of the individual patient, and the integration of information from multiple sources. The findings highlight the importance of clinical reasoning, collaboration, and continuity in supporting pain assessment when self-reports are limited.
SN - 1472-6955
ER -