Memories of pain after burn injury--the patient's experience

Pain after burns is a major clinical problem and researchers continue to report that burn pain remains undertreated. Adequate pain management could contribute to the prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder and can give a growing sense of patients' self-confidence and strength. Freedom from pain might be unrealistic, but the objective should be to reduce pain as much as possible. The purpose of this study was to describe burn patients' experiences and memories of pain during burn care and to acquire a deeper understanding of how patients cope with the experience. The study method was qualitative and interviews were conducted with 12 adult burn patients (eight men and four women) 6 to 12 months postburn (mean = 7 months). The mean burn size for the group was 10.6% mean of TBSA and the mean stay in hospital was 16 days. The interviews were analyzed using Kvales' method for structuring analysis. The patients' experiences and memories of pain during the trajectory of care were clearly described by the informants during the interviews. Four themes were identified for pain: becoming aware of pain, allowing oneself to feel pain, different pain experiences, and fragile body surface. Four themes were identified for coping: pragmatic coping, allowing someone to care for you, carrying the pain, and perspectives on the trauma. Both good and bad memories were recorded during the care trajectory, and it is evident that the patient has to carry the pain experience by themselves to a large extent.