Nursing and cancer pain

Abstract

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A major complaint of cancer patients is pain. In Brazil, it is estimated that 62 to 90% of cancer patients have some type of pain; however in Brazil pain is still inadequately controlled and managed for cancer patients, being that 24.5 to 46.6% have their pain inadequately managed. This study aimed at identifying in the Brazilian literature the status of nursing assistance and knowledge about cancer pain to deepen knowledge about nursing care practices for painful cancer patients. CONTENTS: This is an exploratory study by means of integrative literature review. National studies in Portuguese language and fully available in LILACS, Scielo and BDENF databases, published between 2002 and 2012 were used, achieving a final sample of 24 articles, which were grouped in 3 thematic axes portraying difficulties faced by nurses to assist painful cancer patients, going from poor knowledge to the scarce number of professionals, in addition to the scarcity of studies addressing the theme. CONCLUSION: Results of our study have contributed to the scientific background of the nursing team, giving them support for the acquisition of pain management skills, especially with regard to its adequate measurement, major aspects of intervention and predominant stumbling-blocks for pain management.

Keywords

• assistência de enfermagem
• dor
• enfermagem oncológica
• humanização da assistência