Abstract
Purpose Statement: To assess factors influencing nurses’ beliefs and knowledge when assessing and managing pain in hospitalized older persons living with dementia (PLWD).
Background: Hospitalized PLWD often experience unrelieved pain. Pain is common in PLWD. Undermanaged pain accelerates changes in cognition, memory loss, and functional decline. Nurses’ personal feelings and professional experiences with pain may lead to inaccurate knowledge and beliefs based on negative stereotypes of aging and dementia.
Methods: A mixed method study was conducted using an explanatory sequential design. The quantitative cross-sectional survey study measured nurses’ self-perceived knowledge and beliefs about pain assessment and management in PLWD. The qualitative descriptive study methodology used individual semi-structured interviews to further explore nurse’s pain management practices. Findings from the quantitative study informed construction of the interview guide for qualitative data collection.
Results: Nurses working in two hospitals, one of which was designated as a Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) site voluntarily participated in the studies. General beliefs, knowledge about pain, dementia, and aging were measured using a validated survey tool. A bi-variate analysis of variance and a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted on survey results. The findings of the MANOVA analysis were not statistically significant. However, bivariate analysis findings indicated that male nurses of all ages and years of experience held less favorable beliefs about pain in older people, than female nurses.
A content and thematic analysis of 12 individual nurse semi-structured interviews indicated that knowledge deficits negatively influenced pain management strategies based partly on nurses’ experiences, negative beliefs, and ageist stereotypes about older people and PLWD.
Conclusion: The mixed method study confirmed that nurses’ knowledge, beliefs, and experience influenced pain assessment and management practices. Unique to this study is the extensive experience nurse study participants had caring for hospitalized PLWD. Knowledge-practice gaps and negative stereotypical beliefs about older people and dementia were found. Strategies to address ageism and improve care of hospitalized PLWD require the attention of hospital leaders. A best practice person-centered dementia model is suggested.
Notes
References:
Achterberg, W., Lautenbacher, S., Husebo, B., Erdal, A., & Herr, K. (2020). Pain in dementia. Pain Reports, 5(1), e803-e803. https://doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000000803
Author. (2023). Factors that Influence Nurses’ Pain Management Practices in Hospitalized Older Persons Living with Dementia.
Kaasalainen, S., Zacharias, R., Hill, C., Wickson-Griffiths, A., Hadjistavropoulos, T., & Herr, K. (2017). Advancing the pain management in older adults agenda forward through the development of key research and education priorities: A Canadian perspective. Canadian Journal of Pain, 1(1), 171-182. https://doi.org/10.1080/24740527.2017.1383139
Tsai, I. P., Jeong, S. Y.-S., & Hunter, S. (2018). Pain assessment and management for older patients with dementia in hospitals: An integrative literature review. Pain Management Nursing, 19(1), 54-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2017.10.001
Zwakhalen, S., Docking, R. E., Schofield, P., Gnass, I., Sirsch, E., Stewart, C., & Allcock, N. (2018). Pain in older adults with dementia: A survey across Europe on current practices, use of assessment tools, guidelines and policies. Schmerz, 32(5), 364-373. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00482-018-0290-x
Zwakhalen, S. M., Hamers, J. P., Peijnenburg, R. H., & Berger, M. P. (2007). Nursing staff knowledge and beliefs about pain in elderly nursing home residents with dementia. Pain Research and Management, 12(3), 177-184. https://doi.org/10.1155/2007/518484
Sigma Membership
Rho Beta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Acute Care, Primary Care, Policy and Advocacy, Dementia, Persons Living with Dementia, Pain Management
Recommended Citation
Ingelson, Beverley F., "A Mixed Method Study on Nurses Pain Management for Hospitalized Persons Living with Dementia" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 266.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/266
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
A Mixed Method Study on Nurses Pain Management for Hospitalized Persons Living with Dementia
Seattle, Washington, USA
Purpose Statement: To assess factors influencing nurses’ beliefs and knowledge when assessing and managing pain in hospitalized older persons living with dementia (PLWD).
Background: Hospitalized PLWD often experience unrelieved pain. Pain is common in PLWD. Undermanaged pain accelerates changes in cognition, memory loss, and functional decline. Nurses’ personal feelings and professional experiences with pain may lead to inaccurate knowledge and beliefs based on negative stereotypes of aging and dementia.
Methods: A mixed method study was conducted using an explanatory sequential design. The quantitative cross-sectional survey study measured nurses’ self-perceived knowledge and beliefs about pain assessment and management in PLWD. The qualitative descriptive study methodology used individual semi-structured interviews to further explore nurse’s pain management practices. Findings from the quantitative study informed construction of the interview guide for qualitative data collection.
Results: Nurses working in two hospitals, one of which was designated as a Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) site voluntarily participated in the studies. General beliefs, knowledge about pain, dementia, and aging were measured using a validated survey tool. A bi-variate analysis of variance and a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted on survey results. The findings of the MANOVA analysis were not statistically significant. However, bivariate analysis findings indicated that male nurses of all ages and years of experience held less favorable beliefs about pain in older people, than female nurses.
A content and thematic analysis of 12 individual nurse semi-structured interviews indicated that knowledge deficits negatively influenced pain management strategies based partly on nurses’ experiences, negative beliefs, and ageist stereotypes about older people and PLWD.
Conclusion: The mixed method study confirmed that nurses’ knowledge, beliefs, and experience influenced pain assessment and management practices. Unique to this study is the extensive experience nurse study participants had caring for hospitalized PLWD. Knowledge-practice gaps and negative stereotypical beliefs about older people and dementia were found. Strategies to address ageism and improve care of hospitalized PLWD require the attention of hospital leaders. A best practice person-centered dementia model is suggested.
Description
Background: Hospitalized PLWD often experience unrelieved pain.
Aim & Methods: An explanatory sequential design mixed method study was conducted to measure nurses’ knowledge and beliefs about pain assessment and management in hospitalized PLWD.
Results: Data analysis revealed nurse's pain management was negatively influenced by ageist stereotypes about older people and PLWD.
Conclusion: Even in a hospital with a primary geriatric population, ageist beliefs negatively impact PLWD.