Factors Influencing Pain Management Practices among Critical Care Nurses: A Qualitative Study

Background: Pain management practices are significantly influenced by many factors that are related to healthcare assumptions and experiences. This is particularly applicable on nurses working within critical care units. As a subjective experience, pain among critically ill patients could impose serious health threats and delay healing. Therefore, it is important to investigate factors that have impact on nurses’ practices of pain management. Objectives: This qualitative study was conducted to investigate factors perceived by critical care nurses to influence their decisions regarding pain management.Methods: A semi-structured interview followed by an in-depth analysis of the obtained data was performed to explore nurses’ pain management practices. A purposeful convenience sample of 16 informants representing critical care nurses participated in this study. Concurrent content analysis was carried out during data collection by identifying ideas within the qualitative. Results: The analysis of the data resulted in the identification of four themes that described pain management practices in critical care units as follows: pain as a priority; preparing nurses; the nurse’s role; and guided vs. unguided practice. The next section explains these themes and sets examples from the transcripts. Conclusion: Evidence of both poor and good practice appeared in the findings of this study among critical care nurses. Interview questions elicited themes that identified nurses’ practices and raised issues of concern that limit adequate pain management practices within critical care units. Addressing factors impacting pain management practices is important for the wellbeing and healing of patients in the ICU.