Nurses' willingness to manage the pain of specific groups of patients

Abstract

Effective pain management remains a challenge for the nursing profession. While nurses' knowledge of appropriate pain strategies has improved considerably, additional research needs to be conducted into the influence of factors other than knowledge on the management of pain. This study examined the willingness of nurses (n = 157) and nursing students (n = 265) to spend time and energy managing the pain of different groups of patients, when told that all patients had the same degree of pain. The willingness of nurses to spend time and energy in managing patients' pain was used as a proxy for preconceived notions relative to particular groups of patients. A pattern emerged that suggested that nurses' and nursing students' willingness to spend time and energy managing patients' pain in influenced by their perceptions of different groups of patients.

Knowledge and attitudes survey in bleeding disorders providers regarding pain

“…A study by Brockopp et al . identified RNs were more likely to be responsive to pain issues for cancer and HIV patients vs. patients who may have contributed to their situation, such as perceived substance abusers, those who attempted suicide, as well as the elderly.…”

An Ethnography of the Culture of Pain in a Non-Pediatric Emergency Department

“…The empirical literature demonstrates that healthcare provider attitudes and preconceived notions about the patient's age, behaviors, diagnoses and personalities may influence pain management practices (Brockopp, Ryan, & Warden, 2003;Broome & Huth, 2003;Hennes et al, 2005;Jones & Machen, 2003;Kim et al, 2003;Melhuish & Payne, 2006;Miner, Biros, Trainor, Hubbard, & Beltram, 2006;Rasmussen, Frederiksen, Hallonsten, & Poulsen, 2005;Twycross, 2002;Twycross, 2007b;Twycross, 2008;Vincent, 2005;Woodgate & Kristjanson, 1996a). Studies have demonstrated that numerous assumptions and personal beliefs by healthcare professionals may interfere with the optimal recognition and treatment of pain.…”

Development and testing of four instruments to assess prior conditions that influence nurses' adoption of evidence‐based pain management practices

“…Several pain instruments were reviewed to identify and evaluate factors that influence nurses' decisions to adopt EBPMP. These instruments included the Staff Nurse Survey of Barriers to Effective Pain Management (Wallace et al 1995), Barriers Questionnaire (Ward et al 1993), Pain Management: Nurses' Knowledge and Attitude Survey (Ferrell et al 1991), Pain Knowledge Questionnaire (Brockopp et al 2003(Brockopp et al , 2004 and Clinical Decision-Making Questionnaire for Pain Management (Brockopp et al 2003(Brockopp et al , 2004. Many of these instruments have been used internationally, including in countries such as Hong Kong, Italy, Taiwan, Turkey and the United States of America (USA) (Erkes et al 2001, Bernardi et al 2007, Tsai et al 2007, Yildirim et al 2008.…”

“…Patient factors including age, lifestyle, ethnicity and gender will often influence a nurse’s interpretation of a patient’s pain (Celia 2000, McNeill et al. 2001, Brockopp et al. 2003, Horbury et al.…”