NursPainPrevent: A Prospective Observational Study on Pain During a Bed Bath

Area of Science:

• Nursing Care
• Pain Management
• Patient Comfort

Background:

• Bed baths are a common nursing procedure associated with patient discomfort.
• The frequency and intensity of pain during bed baths are not well-documented.
• This study aimed to assess pain experienced by general hospital patients during bed baths.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively evaluate the incidence and severity of pain associated with bed baths.
• To identify gaps in pain assessment and management during routine nursing care.
• To inform strategies for improving patient comfort during hospitalization.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study involving 166 bed baths across 23 units in 5 hospitals.
• Eight external investigators utilized validated pain assessment scales tailored to patient conditions.
• Data collection focused on pain scores, analgesia administration, pain evaluation methods, and non-pharmacological interventions.

Main Results:

• Moderate-to-severe pain was rated by expert observers for 48% of patients during bed baths.
• Over 51% of patients experiencing pain did not receive prophylactic analgesia.
• Validated pain scale evaluation was used for only 7.2% of patients, despite caregiver attention to comfort (85% verbal guidance, 84.3% adapted touch/rhythm).

Conclusions:

• Bed baths frequently induce moderate-to-severe pain, indicating a significant patient care issue.
• Current practices for pain evaluation and analgesia administration during bed baths are insufficient.
• Improvements are needed in pain assessment, analgesia, non-pharmacological methods, and mobilization techniques to enhance patient comfort.