Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2025

A Quantitative Sensory Testing Paradigm to Obtain Measures of Pain Processing in Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery
Published on: January 18, 2018
Associations Among Self-Advocacy, Patient-Centered Communication, Pain Intensity, and Opioid Stigma in Older Adult
Karen E Alsbrook1, Teresa Hagan Thomas2, Annette DeVito Dabbs3
1Karen E. Alsbrook.
Objectives:
To describe the relationships among patient self-advocacy, patient-centered communication, pain intensity, and opioid stigma in female breast cancer survivors aged 65 years or older.
Sample & Setting:
73 women in a longitudinal study of symptoms experienced during the first year and as many as three years after breast cancer surgery.
Methods & Variables:
This prospective, cross-sectional study employed a descriptive, correlational design. Participants completed instrument assessments measuring self-advocacy, patient-centered communication, pain intensity, and opioid stigma.
Results:
Self-advocacy correlated moderately positively with patient-centered communication. Patient-centered communication correlated moderately positively with informed decision-making.
Implications For Nursing:
Nurses can empower patients with the necessary skills to self-advocate for their needs and facilitate a patient-centered clinical environment to improve outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
Analgesia and Pain Management
SBAR II: Application of SBAR
SBAR Report from a Nurse to a Health Care Provider
S: "Hello, Dr. Smith. This is Jane, RN, from the Med Surg unit. I am calling to tell you about Ms. White in Room 210, who is experiencing increased pain and redness at her incision site. Her recent...
Patient-centered Care
Nursing Ethical Principles II
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's...
Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...

