Patients in Pain Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Patients in Pain - Research Paper Example The study is a qualitative research conducted in natural settings, and uses data that are words or text rather than numerical in order to describe the experiences that are being studied as recommended (LoBiondo-Wood, 2010). Ten (10) participants were selected from a sample size of twenty (20) nurses from three (3) hospitals. They were given in-depth, unstructured interviews in form of dialogues focusing on their care of patients in pain. The study was conducted to appraise the problem: hospitalized patients still suffer from pain due to poorly managed nursing processes. The study question is: â€Å"what are the nurses’ experiences when caring for patients in pain?† The research study is phenomenological; that is aimed at obtaining a description of an experience as it is lived in order to understand the meaning of that experience for those who have it. It is also non-experimental; that is the investigator observes a phenomenon without manipulating the independent variabl e and finally it is qualitative; that is research about human experiences whose data types are words or text rather than numerical in order to describe the experiences that are being studied (Auerbach,  et al 1990) Overview of the Study In virtually all hospitals world over hospitalized patients report the same thing: pain. This is in spite of a wider knowledge-base, the advancements in technological as well as a wealth of research (Auerbach,  et al 1990). The professionals who are charged with pain assessment and the administration of analgesia or other relief are the Nurses. On the face of it, it might appear automatic to point an accusing finger on them as failing in their duties. However a closer look on these complaints exposes several situations; that is one, nurses usually do not make decisions independently as to the prescription of drugs meaning that what they may consider as a prescription ideal to a paining situation may differ from issued guidelines, inter alia. Nurs es therefore do not have a free hand to operate mainly due to their relationship with the ‘gate-keepers’; that is the physicians (Walker, J2002), in spite of the problems and costs associated with and inherent in unrelieved postoperative pain (Walker, J2002). This therefore makes it essential for researchers, physicians as well as nurses and patients to deeply understand the strengths and weaknesses of the nursing profession in the process of achieving pain relief for hospitalized patients. Other barriers include:- Anxiety: Most nurses are anxious about the possible consequences of using opioid drugs, such as respiratory depression and addiction. Assessment Inadequacies: owing to the huge workload on most nurses on the one hand, and the organizational ineffectiveness (Shealy, 2006) on the other, pain assessment by nurses is usually inadequate as well. However, it has been observed that most of researches conducted have tended to conclude negatively with regard to nurses and their pain management. Conclusion about the Strength of Evidence/Findings The study exposed that the challenges encountered by nurses while caring for hospitalized patients in pain can more easily be understood if the role of a nurse is viewed from a goal-directed mission standpoint; that is an aim towards relieving