Noordeen Shoqirat
Mutah University, Jordan
Title: Sleepless nights and sore operation site: Patients' experiences of nursing pain management after surgery in Jordan
Biography
Biography: Noordeen Shoqirat
Abstract
Internationally, it is agreed that pain management is a central component of nursing care. Although much has been written about pain prevalence among patients aft er surgery, research is scant on patients' experiences of nursing pain management and factors involved. Th is study explores patients' experiences of nursing pain management in Jordan and identifi es contributing factors. A qualitative research design was used. Data were collected through focus group discussions (n=4). A total of 31 patients were purposively selected. Two main themes emerged. Th e fi rst theme was living in pain and comprised two categories: From sleep disturbances to the fear of addiction and from dependence to uncertainty. Th e second theme was about barriers that aff ect nursing pain management. Patients' experiences of nursing pain management were not up to their expectations; their needs were largely ignored and were dealt with in a mechanistic way. Barriers precipitating this situation were referred to in this study as the three “nots,” including not being well-informed, not being believed and not being privileged. Th e study concluded that patients' experiences of nursing pain management are a complex world that goes beyond medically orientated care. Nurses, therefore, are urged to look beyond standardized assessment tools and use patients' experiences and voices as valuable evidence contributing to more eff ective pain management. Unless this occurs in their daily encounters with patients, another decade will pass with little change in the practice of pain management.
