Introduction
The problem of pain management is a common topic in the modern healthcare setting. In their study, Egan and Cornally (2013) explore the obstacles to efficient management of pain in patients. The study is set in the context of long-term care and focuses on nursing interventions as the key tools. The goal of this paper is to determine whether the paper written by Egan and Cornally (2013) provides valid arguments, demonstrates proper research, and uses scholarly resources to prove its point. Furthermore, the paper is aimed at determining the effects that the authors’ conclusions may have on the quality of care and the delivery of nursing services to patients. Therefore, it is likely to have a profound effect on nursing, in general.
Research Question
The authors seek to study the barriers to pain management in patients. Therefore, the research question is whether the specified factors produce any effect on patients’ perception of pain. Particularly, Egan and Cornally (2013) define the effects that barriers associated with organizational, caregiver- and patient-related issues have on the management of pain. Answering this question is critical to the further promotion of care since it will inform nurses’ strategies of pain management and help them to consider patient-specific factors when managing cases of pain alleviation.
The promotion of patient-centered care, as well as the emphasis on multiculturalism, can be seen as the key driving force behind the research by Egan and Cornally (2013). The authors of the article also specify that the continuous drop in staffing levels, which can be observed in the U.S. nursing setting, has affected the course of the study and sparked the question of pain management. Thus, answering the question will help to manage a significant health concern.
Research Design
To answer the research question, Egan and Cornally (2013) use the quantitative design. The choice of quantitative research as the main method of responding to the specified question might seem not quite suitable since the qualitative framework is a more suitable tool for analysis in this scenario. However, by making their study cross-sectional and descriptive, Egan and Cornally (2013) acknowledge the presence of qualitative factors that shape the analysis.
The opportunities for identifying the factors that have the greatest effect on the quality of care and pose the most challenging obstacles doubtlessly is a strength of the selected research method. The research design also allows for high levels of precision (Leavy, 2017). Therefore, the use of the quantitative design is justified in the specified case. However, the application of the quantitative analysis also weakens the research. Since the authors introduce the element of exploration into their analysis by embracing different factors that affect the provision of care, the use of quantitative tools limits the chances to develop a profound understanding of these factors and their effects.
Sample
To perform the study, the authors sent 138 questionnaires to participants, of which 83 were selected. Therefore, the sample size of the research amounts to 83 items (Egan & Cornally, 2013). The sample size seems passable for the study under analysis, although a larger one would be more representative of the case. Specifically, a sample size of at least 100 participants would have helped to develop an insight into the problem and analyze the link between the study variables in depth.
The number of participants, in turn, could have also been larger. By expanding it to at least 200, Egan and Cornally (2013) would have introduced more diversity into their research to answer the question of pain management and represent patients properly. Therefore, the numbers are adequate, yet there may be gaps in the multicultural perspective of the issue.
Data Collection Method
The data was collected by the authors of the research and implied the use of a questionnaire. A Likert-type scale was utilized to determine the strength of each factor. The disclosure of patients’ personal information was the key ethical consideration. This ethical concern was addressed by omitting [personal data that would allow identifying patients. Thus, the academic integrity was retained, and the patient’s need for privacy was respected.
Limitations
Among the key limitations, the restrictions that are defined by the research method are the essential ones. Specifically, the study implies a significant degree of subjective data since it measures participants’ experiences based on their subjective responses (Roller & Lavrakas, 2015). Moreover, the research design does not allow embracing a wide variety of participants, which reduces the outcomes of the study to the experiences of a particular group.
Findings
The results of the study prove that the use of an approach targeting patient-specific barriers helps to reduce the perception of pain in patients. Therefore, a complex approach toward exploring patients’ understanding of pain and their experiences will be needed (Egan & Cornally, 2013). With the adoption of the specified strategy, one will be able to reduce painful sensations in patients suffering from chronic pain and other conditions that entail painful experiences. The findings of the research answer the initial question and can be regarded as credible since research biases were addressed by introducing appropriate measurement tools such as the Likert scale.
Summary
In their research, Egan and Cornally (2013) focus on the obstacles to pain alleviation strategies. The research shows that the factors associated with organizational issues, as well as those linked to patients and caregivers, affect pain management significantly. Therefore, the study proves that a change of the current practice is fully justified. Furthermore, suggestions regarding the change can be made; for example, a multicultural and patient-specific approach toward pain alleviation can be proposed. By encouraging multicultural communication between patients and nurses, one will be able to improve pain management and the overall quality of patients’ lives.
References
Egan, M., & Cornally, N. (2013). Identifying barriers to pain management in long-term care. Nursing Older People, 25(7), 25-31. Web.
Leavy, P. (2017). Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, arts-based, and community-based participatory research approaches. New York, NY: Guilford Publications.
Roller, M. R., & Lavrakas, P. J. (2015). Applied qualitative research design: A total quality framework approach. New York, NY: Guilford Publications.