BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although being the most prevalent acute pain and its clinical expression being associated to morbidity and mortality, postoperative pain is still underdiagnosed and undertreated. This study aimed at analyzing records of postoperative pain and analgesia of admitted patients' medical charts. METHODS: This is a documental, transversal and quantitative study carried out in a private hospital of Fortaleza/CE. Sixty medical charts of patients were analyzed during the first 24 postoperative hours. A checklist was used to evaluate pain records in three moments (immediate postoperative period in the post-anesthetic care unit, one hour after surgery and subsequent hours). We have also analyzed medical and nursing prescriptions, daily evolutions and clinical monitoring sheets. Descriptive statistical analysis was used and Chi-square test with linear trend (χ2) was applied to compare patients' response to analgesia in different pain evaluation moments. RESULTS: Records on pain and analgesia were found in 46.6% medical charts and were limited to describing intensity, location and analgesia. The prevalence was female patients (55%), older than 59 years (31.6%), submitted to general surgeries (46.6%), with moderate to severe abdominal pain (45%) in the first evaluation, evolving to mild or no pain in hours subsequent to analgesia. From those with pain, 45% have received no analgesia. There has been statistically significant relation between pain intensity and postoperative time (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Findings about underprescription of postoperative analgesics are worrisome. Professionals should be involved in the adequate handling and recording of this type of pain, promoting better analgesic approaches and higher patients' satisfaction.
Analgesia; Nursing; Pain measurement; Postoperative pain; Records with the subject
