Características definidoras mais sensíveis do diagnóstico de enfermagem dor aguda em doentes adultos internados em cuidados intensivos

Abstract

Acute pain is a problem commonly found in people in critical situations and has a damaging effect that can jeopardize their hemodynamic stability and, consequently, their prognosis. Due to the special condition of critically ill patients who are often unable to verbally express pain, it does not mean that they are not experiencing it (Barr et al., 2013). Numerous scales are validated for pain assessment in critically ill patients that contemplate several observable parameters in order to assist in the identification of episodes of pain. The nursing process guides nurses in their practice, and understanding their stages is fundamental. When performing the nursing diagnosis, the nurse must consider the set of observable inferences that will define a specific diagnosis. NANDA-I defines the observable inferences as defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis (Herdman & Kamitsuru, 2018). As acute pain has very negative effects for critically ill patients, it is necessary that the assessment and diagnosis of acute pain is accurate. For that, it is necessary that the defining characteristics are rigorously identified. With the objective of mapping the extent and type of existing evidence in relation to the defining characteristics of the “acute pain” nursing diagnosis, a scoping review was carried out to identify the most sensitive ones that are present in adult patients hospitalized in nursing intensive care units. As conclusions, it can be said that given the impact that pain has on people in critical situations hospitalized in intensive care units, it is important that pain assessment is carried out in a systematic and evidence-based manner. This review reveals the most sensitive defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis of acute pain in adult patients admitted to intensive care units, which may be an aid to nurses who care for this population. Parallel to this study, 2 internships were carried out in order to develop skills as a specialist nurse in the area of people in critical situations, in the context of intensive care and emergency services, with description and analysis of the activities developed.

Date of Award	2 Dec 2021
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Sérgio Deodato (Supervisor)