Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Nurses Managing Pediatric Postoperative Pain.

Abstract

Background: Postoperative pain management in children is a critical aspect of pediatric care. This aspect of pediatric care is important because it can lead to psychological stress and distress, impacting both immediate and future emotional well-being in children if not managed well.

Purpose: To explore the experiences of nurses during the management of postoperative pain in the pediatric population at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

Methods: A hermeneutic-phenomenological approach was used, with a sample size estimated at three (3) to ten(10) participants. Data collection involved interviews until the four criteria for data saturation (that is, deepness, richness, relevance, and abstractness) were achieved at the seventh interview, conducted over 2 months in a hospital setting.

Results: Four themes developed from the data analysis depicting nurses' experiences: physiological, bodily expressions, and pain scale used for pain diagnosis; nonpharmacological and pharmacological methods used for pain management; institutional, personnel, parents', and patients' constraints; and compassion fatigue, physical bodily depletion, and burnout, highlighting the emotional challenges nurses face.

Clinical implications: Hospitals with a similar context to that of the study site should implement these findings to enhance the improvement and quality of pain management in their pediatric units.