The meaning of the experiences of persons with chronic pain in their encounters with the health service

Abstract

Chronic pain causes great suffering for those affected and treating it is one of the most common assignments in the health service. The aim of the study was to investigate the meaning of the experiences of persons with chronic pain in their encounters with health service staff. The study had a descriptive design with a phenomenological approach based on the perspective of caring science. Interviews were carried out with eight patients. The study showed that patients experienced a positive approach and that the staff had understood the serious nature of the situation. A positive approach can communicate hope and help to strengthen the patient. It is important to ask the patient about how he/she experiences his/her situation and thus gain an insight into this person's lifeworld. Participation entailed being active oneself and calling attention to one's needs and wishes for treatment. The study also showed that a negative approach by the staff played a prominent part in their experiences and appeared to be engraved in their memories. A negative approach is felt as being insulting and belittling. Patients with chronic pain felt that they were discredited and that their experience of their situation was called into question. They had to fight to get care and had to suggest treatments and examinations. There were also patients who had neither been asked about their pain experience nor had the opportunity to assess their pain with an assessment scale. Some of the phases in Travelbee's relationship model could be seen in several of the encounters but not all. The participants did not always feel that the manner of the nursing staff was empathetic or sympathetic, which led to greater suffering.

Postoperative patients’ perspectives on rating pain: A qualitative study

“…Our findings confirmed the idea that patients do not want to deviate from perceived social norms and be known as an individual who complains a lot (Eriksson et al 2014, Hansson et al 2011. Patients are afraid of being M a n u s c r i p t 23 judged by healthcare professionals when the NRS score they report is perceived as "too high.…”

“…In turn, patients have learned from previous reactions of professionals at what NRS score they will be administered a certain analgesic. A study of chronic pain patients also showed that patients have to give an NRS score higher than 5 in order to receive more analgesics from the nurse (Hansson et al 2011). …”

”The acceptance” of living with chronic pain – an ongoing process: A qualitative study of patient experiences of multimodal rehabilitation in primary care

“…Experiences such as not being listened to, not believed, and not seen as a whole human being are reported (20,21). The importance of receiving a diagnosis was reported in our study and has been found in previous research (22,23).There is a view among patients with chronic pain that a diagnosis of pain symptoms serves as evidence to legitimize their pain (23).…”

Living with chronic neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of community experience

“…Eccleston, Williams, and Rogers [41] suggested that relationships with HCPs could mediate distress in chronic pain patients, whilst Coulter & Fitzpatrick [42] suggest that patient dissatisfaction may result in reduced adherence to medication. Hansson, Fridlund, Brunt, Hansson, and Rask [43] studied chronic pain patients' experiences of the healthcare system, finding that staff tended to focus upon their areas of expertise, such as medication, potentially ignoring psychosocial difficulties. This theme would suggest that continuing with this strategy is unhelpful for any chronic pain sufferer, regardless of the possible medical aetiology of the pain.…”