Samarkandi (2018) argues that pain is one of the primary sources of stress for patients. Patients still experience unbearable pain despite the vast pharmacological pain management options available today. The study examines the factors that inhibit effective pain management, giving valuable insight into the impacts of nurses’ attitudes and perceptions on pain management. Irrefutably, the tendency of nurses to perceive patient reports of pain as strategies to seek attention is one of the main deterrents to effective pain management. The research question is, “What is the impact of nurses’ knowledge and attitudes in pain management?”
Unné and Rosengren (2014) contend that the main hindrance to pain management in palliative care is the lack of motivation for learning among medical staffs, which inhibits continuous healthcare improvements. Aside from these, other factors such as the relationships that exist between nurses and their patients, as well as the type of communication that exists between these two parties also determines how effective pain management procedures are. The purpose of the study is to determine the role played by a stable learning environment, effective communication, and strategic leadership play in fostering a culture of learning, which is obligatory for the provision of high-quality care. The study is targeted at determining the different methods used in pain estimation in palliative care units. The research question is, “Do consistent pain management measurement promote more transparent views of pain management activities?”
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How the Articles Support the Nurse Practice Issue
The selected articles will be used in answering my PICOT question. The reports provide comprehensive information on the various factors that inhibit effective pain management in palliative care patients, which enables one to make thorough comparisons and obtain significant information on the strategies that can be used to improve patient care. The data provided will, therefore, allow me to provide detailed, rational, and justifiable answers to my question.
The interventions and comparison groups in the articles greatly compare to the ones in my PICOT question. The main similarity between the interventions in the selected articles and the ones in my PICOT question is that pain medication is the primary intervention for chronic pain management. In detail, Samarkandi (2018) encourages the use of opioids and adjuvant medications, while Unné and Rosengren (2014) fail to recommend any specific pain medications. The two articles also fail to include any comparison groups such as different types of non-pharmacological pain management options, when compared to my PICOT question, in which exercise therapy is compared to over the counter pain alleviation drugs.
Methods of the Study
Samarkandi (2018) uses cross-sectional surveys to obtain information from three selected hospitals in the south Riyadh city while Unné and Rosengren (2014) use an experimental design to systematically gather empirical and quantifiable data which is measured to provide valuable insight about pain management in palliative care. Samarkandi (2018) also uses data collection sheets to collect information from nurses, as well as knowledge and attitudes surveys (KAS) are to gather information on pain management. The informed consent of the participants in both of the studies is sought before the studies begin in both of the articles.
The experimental design by Unné and Rosengren (2014) fosters the manipulation of independent variables, enabling one to determine the cause and effect relationship easily. However, the method is also susceptible to human errors, which can jeopardize the quality, consistency, and validity of results. On the other hand, cross-sectional surveys enable researchers to conduct secondary data analysis and study different outcomes at the same time (Pandis, 2014). Nonetheless, it fails to offer any information on casual relationships.
Results
The findings of Unné and Rosengren (2014) suggest that consistent pain management measurements led to the acquisition of more transparent views of pain management activities. In detail, the authors advocate for the use of numbers as opposed to words to foster unified documentation of pain ratings. The study by Samarkandi (2018) indicates that Nurse practitioners in Saudi are less knowledgeable about pain management, which makes most of their efforts to reduce patients’ pain futile.
Samarkandi (2018) advocates for consistent pain management education in the curriculum of undergraduate nurses. The main implication of the study is the development of regular educational programs on pain management in medical institutions. Irrefutably, this would positively change the attitudes and perceptions of nurses towards pain, enabling them to take the necessary courses of action to decrease its intensity.
Outcomes
My PICOT question is anticipated to result in the acquisition of significant information on the intervention that is most effective for pain management. The outcomes of the study by Unné and Rosengren (2014) provides measurement alternatives, while Samarkandi (2018) recommends consistent training to develop positive perceptions of pain management activities. Likewise, the PICOT study is anticipated to offer alternative strategies such as nurse education on pain management to develop positive attitudes towards patients and pain management activities.
References
Pandis, N., (2014). Cross-sectional studies. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics , 146 (1), 127-129.
Samarkandi, O. A., (2018). Knowledge and attitudes of nurses toward pain management. Saudi journal of anesthesia , 12 (2), 220.
Unné, A., & Rosengren, K., (2014). Using numbers creates value for health professionals: a quantitative study of pain management in palliative care. Pharmacy , 2 (3), 205-221.
