Background The pain is influenced by various biopsychosocial factors. Its presence can negatively affect both the physiological and psychological states of an individual. Nonpharmacological strategies have gained prominence by complementing, rather than replacing, pharmacological treatment. These strategies assist in pain management, promote comfort, contribute to cost reduction, and lower the required doses of analgesics. Objective To map the complementary therapies employed by nursing teams for pain management in hospitalized patients. Method A scoping review was conducted in August 2024. Registered on the OSF platform under the access link ( https://osf.io/2eukz ), this research follows the JBI recommendations and adheres to the PRISMA‐ScR checklist. Eleven data sources: CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, LILACS, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, SciELO, Scopus, Web of Science, and the CAPES Catalog of Theses and Dissertations were used for the search and selection of studies, using the following search strategy: (Nursing OR Nurses) AND (Complementary Therapies OR Nursing Care) AND (Pain OR Pain Management OR Analgesia) AND (Inpatients OR Hospitalization OR Hospitals). The process of searching, selecting, and extracting data from studies included two researchers working simultaneously and independently. Results The initial search yielded 22,552 articles, and, after the initial screening by reading titles and abstracts, full‐text reading of the selected materials, and application of eligibility criteria, a total of 66 studies were included in the review, published between 2002 and 2024, with the majority conducted in Iran (48.48%), Türkiye (18.18%), and Egypt (7.57%). All 66 studies included in the sample describe a statistically significant reduction ( p < 0.05) in participants’ pain. The most used nonpharmacological strategies for pain relief in hospitalized individuals were music therapy, cryotherapy, massage, aromatherapy, immersive virtual reality, reflexology, the use of Buzzy, relaxation techniques, and oral glucose. These interventions were predominantly applied in intensive care units: adult (21%) and neonatal (7%); adult (15%) and pediatric (18%) wards; and emergency departments (10%). Conclusion The review identified positive effects on reducing pain intensity, the use of analgesics and opioids, and facial expressions of pain, as well as the duration of crying and pain in hospitalized patients. Additionally, a more pleasant experience and greater patient satisfaction were highlighted. This study supports the development and/or strengthening of public policies and institutional protocols aimed at standardizing interventions, techniques, application methods, and outcome assessments related to pain.
Santos et al. (2026) studied this question.