BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Trauma is globally important for being one of the major causes of death and disability. Trauma is also followed by acute pain and health professionals have difficulties to identify and control it. This study aimed at characterizing nursing teams perceptions and difficulties to identify, quantify and manage pain of trauma patients and at training the nursing team to adequately evaluate and treat it. METHOD:Prospective and quantitative study involving 51 nursing professionals working in an intensive care unit for trauma patients. A questionnaire was applied with questions related to professionals' characterization and the way they identify and treat pain, before and after a qualification course with classes addressing questionnaire themes. RESULTS:Most professionals included in the study knew the concept of "pain as the fifth vital sign”, the tools to quantify pain, drugs used to control pain and their adverse effects, however with training, the understanding of pain evaluation and management has significantly increased. CONCLUSION:Most nursing professionals have insufficient knowledge about pain identification, quantification and management. Training has updated the nursing team to act in a more adequate and efficient way to control and relief pain.
Intensive care unit; Multiple trauma; Pain; Pain measurement
