Use of pain scales in intensive care units for sedated patients
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18094672Keywords:
Pain, Intensive care unit, SedationAbstract
Pain in patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs), especially sedated and non-communicative patients, represents a challenge for the healthcare team. Adequate pain assessment is essential to ensure quality of care, safety, and humanization of care. This study aimed to review the literature on pain scales used in ICUs to identify pain in sedated patients. Methodology: This is an integrative literature review, with searches in the PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, and CINAHL databases, including articles published between 2013 and 2023. Eighteen studies addressing validated observational scales were selected. The most frequently cited scales were the Behavioral Pain Scale (BPS) and the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT), both with good reliability and clinical applicability. The BPS is recommended for patients on mechanical ventilation, while the CPOT presents greater versatility. The effective use of these tools depends on team training and standardization of practice. In conclusion, the systematic use of validated scales improves pain identification and contributes to the quality of care provided to critically ill sedated patients, representing an evidence-based practice.
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