Journal article
Educational considerations for health professionals to effectively work with clients with complex regional pain syndrome
PLoS One, Vol.17(6), pp.1-16
2022
PMCID: PMC9191715
PMID: 35696357
Abstract
Introduction: People living with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a rare chronic pain disorder, must become experts in their own self-management. Listening to the voice of the patient is often advocated in the pain literature. However, the patient's option is rarely asked for or considered by clinicians, even when they live with a condition that health professionals have rarely heard of.
Purpose: To explore what people living with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) think health professionals should know about their condition to provide appropriate care.
Design: A heuristic, hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted asking people about their experiences living with CRPS. This paper reports on the findings of an additional question asked of all participants.
Participants: Seventeen people living with complex regional pain syndrome were interviewed.
Findings: Overwhelmingly, participants felt that health professionals do not know enough about CRPS, or chronic pain and believe their health outcomes are affected by this lack of knowledge. Sub-themes identified were don't touch unless I say it is okay; be patient with the patient/ it is important to develop a relationship; educate yourself and educate the patient; choose your words carefully and refer to others as needed. An additional theme, it is very hard to describe CRPS was also identified.
Conclusions: Including patients as a member of the healthcare team is recommended to help people take control and self-manage their pain. For true patient centered care to be achieved, health professionals must accept and respect patients' descriptions of pain and their pain experience. This may require additional health professional education at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels in pain and communication to increase their bedside manner and therapeutic communication to deliver care in partnership with the patient.
Details
- Title
- Educational considerations for health professionals to effectively work with clients with complex regional pain syndrome
- Authors
- Colleen Johnston-Devin (Author) - Central Queensland UniversityFlorin Oprescu (Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastMarianne Wallis (Author) - Southern Cross UniversityMarion Gray (Author) - University of Southern Queensland
- Publication details
- PLoS One, Vol.17(6), pp.1-16
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science
- Date published
- 2022
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0269337
- ISSN
- 1932-6203
- PMID
- 35696357; PMC9191715
- Copyright note
- © 2022 Johnston-Devin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine - Legacy; Engage Research Lab; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy; School of Health - Public Health
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99649778902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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