Nurses need to be able to understand and manage different types of pain in a co-ordinated manner to ease discomfort at the end of life, says Lloyd Hughes

This article aims to outline the principles that underpin good practice in the assessment and management of pain syndromes in older patients with advanced, life-limiting illnesses.

Older patients receiving palliative care can be nursed in a variety of settings, including acute hospitals and in the community either at home, in nursing homes or hospices. An understanding of pain and approaches to treating it will help ensure that nurses in different clinical settings are able to support patients receiving palliative care and their families.