Nurses’ Knowledge and Challenges in Pain Management of Elderly Patients in Acute Care Settings

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe nurses’ knowledge and the challenges in pain management of elderly patients in acute care settings and aimed to produce nursing based new knowledge regarding pain management strategies for elderly patients. The descriptive literature review was conducted for this qualitative study using peer reviewed primary studies published between 2019 and 2025, retrieved from CINAHL and PubMed databases. Inductive content analysis was applied to identify recurring themes. The results revealed variations and gaps in nurses´ knowledge, lack of pharmacological knowledge, non-pharmacological pain management, pain assessment knowledge, impact of education and training, professional experience, attitude and confidence. The study also described major challenges including inadequate assessment tools, communication barriers, limited training opportunities, cultural attitudes and barriers, patient related factors such as unreported pain and impact on quality care. Ad-dressing nurses’ knowledge and challenges was crucial for improving pain relief and overall quality of care for elderly patients in acute care settings.