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| Author | Marsha Grech |
| Abstract | Chronic pain is a common prevalence globally and occurs in 60% of adults with cancer and 95% of patients with advanced disease (Thomas and Weiss 2000). Research showed that nurses play an important role in the assessment and management of patients' pain as they spend more time with patients than any other health professional group (Nash et al 1999). The main aim of this study was to explore how Maltese nurses perceive chronic pain as well as their knowledge and perceptions and the different methods of chronic pain relief that they use and consider to be effective. Therefore a small-scale study was carried out to explore nurses' perceptions of chronic pain relief. A non-experimental, small-scale exploratory descriptive study was undertaken using quantitative and qualitative data obtained through a self-administered questionnaire. The sample was randomly chosen. It consisted of 20 Maltese nurses working on the oncology and dermatology wards of Sir Paul Boffa Hospital. The response rate was 100%. Results from this study indicated that Maltese nurses have adequate knowledge regarding chronic pain and they are aware of the importance of proper pain assessment. The majority of nurses feel that they have a good level of knowledge with regards to pharmacological analgesia and they do feel confident in educating patients in this area. Nurses tend to use pharmacological interventions more often than non-pharmacological interventions and they are not familiar with all the non-pharmacological interventions mentioned. They did not feel that their basic nursing education prepared them adequately to manage chronic pain relief, and the need for more knowledge was expressed. This study indicates the need for further development in knowledge and skills regarding chronic pain relief by various ways, including self-study and by organising continuing education programmes about the management of chronic pain. |
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| Key words | Nurses, Perception, Chronic pain relief, Thesis |