The Experience of Complex Pain Dynamics in Oncology Outpatients: A Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis.
Karen L Schumacher, Vicki L Plano Clark, Michael W Rabow and 2 others
PMID 31569180WHAT IT FOUND
Oncology outpatients described pain as changing location, source and intensity over the study, often several pains at once.
A single pain score can miss new pains needing separate assessment.
Key findings
01Patients experienced multiple pains whose locations, sources, and intensity patterns changed over time.
02A new pain location typically triggered detailed nurse assessment and management tailored to its source.
03Pain intensity followed patterns of sustained decrease, waxing and waning, spikes, temporary relief, and unchanging.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The qualitative sample was purposively selected to study challenging pain issues, so it may not represent all cancer outpatients with pain. Pain sources were based on patient descriptions and nurse interpretation, not formal diagnoses. This is a qualitative study of pain experiences within an intervention, not a test of whether the intervention reduced pain.
Declared interests
The supplied metadata indicates NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that the nurse-led program reduced pain or that either dose was effective. It analyzes patients' pain experiences within the trial, not intervention effects, and the qualitative sample was chosen to study challenging pain issues.