Mind the Gaps: A Qualitative Study Combining Patients' and Nurses' Reflections on Pain Care

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Healthcare Quality
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Chronic noncancer pain is a significant health issue, often underdiagnosed and undertreated, leading to physical and emotional distress.
• There is a recognized need to enhance the quality, capacity, and competence of pain management across healthcare levels.
• Understanding the perspectives of both patients and healthcare providers is essential for improving pain care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and integrate the experiences of patients receiving pain care and registered nurses providing care at pain clinics.
• To identify discrepancies between the ideal and actual delivery of pain management services.
• To inform strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of pain management interventions.

Main Methods:

• A multimethod qualitative design incorporating two studies.
• Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 patients receiving pain care and 10 registered nurses at pain clinics.
• Qualitative content analysis was used to interpret and abstract the data.

Main Results:

• Triangulation of patient and nurse experiences revealed significant gaps in pain care.
• Identified themes include "Dissonance in reflections on personalized care," "A corresponding need for improved information flow in all levels," and "A corresponding need for improved structure in pain care."
• These findings highlight a disconnect between expected and delivered pain management practices.

Conclusions:

• A stronger commitment to efficient information flow and person-centered communication is recommended to enhance patient involvement and self-management.
• Increased resources, education, and training for nurses and other professionals are necessary to effectively implement pain management guidelines.
• Addressing identified gaps can lead to more effective and patient-centered chronic pain management.