Nurses Chronic Pain, a Brief Survey Report

Abstract

BackgroundChronic pain (CP) is a complex disease affecting over 20% of adults in the United States (US). Nurses have physically demanding jobs and can and do experience CP; however, there are few studies on interventions to manage nurses’ CP. AimThis study aims to describe the impact of CP on nurses’ personal lives and professional duties, what support they requested, and explore their interest in using brief meditation-based strategies to help manage their pain journey. DesignExploratory, cross-sectional survey. Twenty-seven questions were multiple choice, with thematic analysis conducted on 6 optional open-ended questions. MethodsAn online survey was based on Equator Network's Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES) guidelines. An invitational link was distributed to local nurses using Facebook, Twitter, and email for snowball sampling. We recruited a total of (n = 423), and (n = 294) completed the survey between July and October 2020. Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) reported the data as frequencies and percentages. Regression analysis through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 26 was conducted to find the impact of variables on CP intensity. Narrative analysis was conducted on all written responses. ResultsParticipants reported that CP significantly impacted nurses’ personal life and professional duties (p < .001). The majority (70%) expressed interest in meditation-based interventions. Most (55%) intend to continue working while experiencing CP daily or constant (69%). Nurses reported feeling “stressed,” “powerless,” “unsupported,” and “seeking support.” ConclusionNurses continue to work with CP but seek support from employers. Requested health modalities could save an average size hospital $40,300 annually for each full-time clinical nurse retained.