Exploring Factors Influencing Pain Expression and Management among Postoperative Patients at the Tamale Teaching Hospital

Abstract

The expression and management of postoperative pain (POP) is influenced by multiple factors. The purpose of this study was to explore factors influencing pain expression and management among postoperative patients at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. The study employed a qualitative explorative descriptive design and it was guided by the Social Communication Model of Pain. Purposive sampling technique was used to recruit participants into the study. Data saturation was attained after interviewing the fourteenth participant. All the interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using thematic content approach and five themes were generated. These were; influence of pain experience on pain expression, modes of pain expression, sociocultural influences on pain expression and management, patient’s perspective on pain management and spiritual influence on pain expression and management. Past experience of pain, thoughts, feelings and sensations were identified to influence pain expression among postoperative patients. Postoperative patients expressed their pain through varied ways based on subjective reasons. Majority of the study participants indicated that their pain expression and management was mostly influenced by their sociocultural orientation. Nurses, as frontline caregivers in perioperative settings, need to lead the way in demonstrating sensitivity to the sociocultural disparities of surgical patients in order to ensure competency in care delivery. The study underscored the need for the introduction of guidelines for culturally competent care in order to reduce discrepancies and improve the provision of context appropriate pain care to postoperative patients.