Nonverbal communication of elderly patients facing the pain process

Abstract

This qualitative study aims at identifying which mechanisms are used by elderly patients to express pain when they are not able to use verbal communication. It relies on the accounts and interpretations of 6 nurses working in a clinical service unit dedicated to the treatment of the elderly at a hospital in São Paulo. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, recorded and transcribed for hermeneutic analysis. Data were grouped together in selected analytical categories related to pain and communication, which showed that nurses' interactions with patients notice attitudes and changes. The prompt interpretation and identification of these cues and symptoms of pain lead to better nursing care.