Nurses' Attitude about Pain Management in African American Substance Abusers in Acute Care Setting

Nurses' Attitude about Pain Management in African American Substance Abusers in Acute Care Setting

Introduction

Effective pain management is an important aspect of providing quality medical care. The consequences of not treating pain are immense and can lead to a lot of complications and risks. Inadequate pain management is thus a serious health problem and many people are affected by it in America. There are many factors that contribute to the inadequate pain management that patients are provided with which also include physician bias about various subgroups as an important contributor (Primm et. al, 2004). Many studies have highlighted and documented this concern related to the ineffective treatment of racial and ethnic minorities in acute care settings. In this regard, the attitude of nurses towards pain management in African American substance abusers also requires exploration and is thus the focus of the research.

Statement of the Problem

Substance abuse is a major emergency care and public health concern and requires a lot of strategies and resources (ENA, 2010). Nurses play a significant role in this setting and thus their attitudes towards patients and pain management in them are central to the kind of treatment they provide. Studies have found that among patients who are provided with inadequate pain treatment, the percentage of ethnic and minority groups are higher (Primm et. al, 2004).

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to examine and highlight the attitude of the nurses about pain management in African American substance abusers in acute care setting and then to recommend relevant strategies to minimize the effects of this problem.

Significance of the Study

The study will thus be significant to highlight the attitude they have with regard to pain management in African American substance abusers so that ...