Introduction:

Proper assessment and management of pain impact the well-being of patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Objective:

To analyze the management of pain by nursing professionals nationally during hemodialysis.

Methodology:

After obtaining informed consent, a national cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in March-April 2023 using an online questionnaire addressed to hemodialysis nurses. Sociodemographic variables, type of healthcare center, work experience, pain assessment procedures, analgesia administration during hemodialysis, self-assessment of knowledge, and demand for training were collected. Descriptive and bivariate analyses (Chi-square test, Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U test) were performed, with a significance level 0.05.

Results:

There were 241 participants from 17 autonomous communities, 77.6% women, with a mean age of 43.70±9.99 years. 42.7% considered the pain management approach inadequate; 80% did not use specific protocols, and 95.9% believed they would be helpful. 66% rated their knowledge of pain management as “None/Low.” Only one administered the analgesic pre-filter. 96.7% considered it worthwhile to receive specific training. We found a statistically significant relationship between “frequency of pain assessment” and “adequate pain management” (p<0.001) and between “administration of post-filter analgesics” and “existence of pain management protocols” (p=0.002). Professionals with <5 years of experience considered themselves to have lower levels of knowledge (p=0.022), while those with ≥5 years of experience considered specific training more useful (p=0.048).

Conclusion:

Professionals perceive pain management during hemodialysis as inadequate, and they demand more training and the existence of specific protocols. Professionals with less than five years of experience reported lower levels of knowledge, whereas those with more than five years of experience considered specific training more beneficial.