Personal and professional pain experiences and pain management knowledge among Greek nurses


Author: Patiraki-Kourbani E//Tafas CA//McDonald DD//Papathanassoglou ED////

Affiliation: University of Athens School of Nursing, 123 Papadiamantopoulou Street, 11527 Athens, Hellas, Greece. epatiraki@nurs.uoa.gr
Conference/Journal: Int J Nurs Stud
Date published: 2004
Other:
 Volume ID: 41   ,  Issue ID: 4   ,  Pages: 345-54   ,  Word Count: 104  
    The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe Greek registered nurses' personal and professional pain experiences and to examine the relationship with their pain management knowledge. Forty-six Greek nurses provided written responses to open-ended questions about their personal and professional experiences with pain and beliefs about suffering. Reporting a personal pain experience was associated with describing a positive professional pain experience, Phi=0.44, p < 0.03. The nurses vividly described their personal and professional pain experiences. One nurse wrote ' em leader I begged to lose consciousness, in order not to feel'. These compelling accounts might motivate nurses to strengthen their understanding of pain management.