The outcome of CPOT in pain assessment in critically ill patients ventilated in intensive care units

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1595632602032

• Palavras-chave: Pain Measurement, Critical Care, Intensive Care Units, CPOT

• Keywords: Pain Measurement, Critical Care, Intensive Care Units, CPOT

• Abstract:

  Background: One of the major difficulties in nursing is pain assessment, especially in critically ill ventilated patients due to the absence of self-reporting. Therefore, reliable assessment tools that allow for accurate pain monitoring are needed, such as the CPOT, which is a practical and reliable tool for pain assessment in critically ill ventilated patients, whether conscious or unconscious. 
  Objective: To describe the scientific evidence on the use of the CPOT in assessing pain in critically ill ventilated patients in ICUs.
  Methodology: Integrative literature review, using the PubMed, CINAHL, and MEDLINE databases, supplemented with gray literature. The search equation used was “Pain Measurement” AND “Critical Care” AND “Intensive Care Units” AND “CPOT.” Data collection took place between July 19 and 22, 2025. This search resulted in 506 articles, of which 5 were selected for critical analysis after applying the exclusion criteria.
  Results: CPOT is a valid, reliable, and clinically useful tool for assessing pain in this type of patient in an ICU setting. Its implementation increased the daily number of pain assessments and reassessments. At the same time, it also proved effective in optimizing analgesic therapy. The validation of the Portuguese version of the CPOT confirmed its reliability and applicability, reinforcing its relevance as a pain assessment tool.
  Conclusion: The systematic use of the CPOT contributes to better clinical outcomes due to its advantages. Despite the evidence of its benefits, the international literature on the subject remains limited. This reinforces the need for further research and evaluation of its applicability in different clinical populations.