Summary
The article by Tracy and DiNapoli (2012) explores the fundamentals of Dossey’s (2008) theory that implies the integral approach to health care services provided related to pain management. The authors of the article emphasize the role of holism and healing as the two key components of the mentioned theory. They provide the background of the situation and point out the lack of sufficient knowledge in practitioners, administrative support, and task-centered care.
The research made by Tracy and DiNapoli (2012) shows that the four quadrants are important to take into account while maintaining pain management, including individual interior and exterior and collective interior and exterior. Considering that more and more patients tend to rely on information found on the Internet, a nurse should be able to search and synthesize the evidence for the relevant care. In other words, the authors conclude that the integral theory presents a rather advantageous model of care based on patient-centeredness, involvement, and appropriate relationships.
Critique
The purpose of the given article is clearly defined by the authors, who note the need for the creation of adequate pain management theoretical provisions. This need is also supported by Barr et al. (2013), who note that the current clinical practice guidelines on pain management fail to ensure patients with adequate health care. Tracy and DiNapoli (2012) apply for a literature review as a methodology and overview of many recent credible scholarly sources.
They select Dossey’s theory of integral nursing as a theoretical framework to develop theoretical guidelines for nurses, thus enhancing the effectiveness of their work to meet patients’ needs. The mentioned theory seems to be a reliable and useful one as it integrates the most significant points of the nursing care setting. The key findings are presented in the table format and supported in the written form that promotes visibility of the article and helps readers to understand the authors’ ideas and implications.
Speaking of the implications, one may note that relationship-centered communication is a key goal nurse should pursue to involve in their practice. As noted by the authors of the article, nowadays, patients prefer to be considered as individuals. In this regard, it is of great importance to value their individual needs, expectations, and other peculiarities. By introducing the integral theory of nursing in the clinical setting, nurses will promote an open atmosphere by facilitating conversations between patients, nurses, and physicians.
As a result, patients would feel more comfortable communicating with care deliverers about their pain, thus helping the latter identify the corresponding treatment options and preventing potential complications in the future. Among the Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing (MSN) that Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) may apply in practice, there are Informatics and Healthcare Technologies and Quality Improvement and Safety.
The strong points of the article are the well-designed organization, theoretical nature, proper citation, use of credible sources, and adequate presentation that facilitates reading. Also, the problem discussed in the article corresponds to the current needs of nursing. The decision suggested by the authors seems to be important as the evidence-based on the previous research supports it. The lack of quantitative data may be considered as a weakness of the article since it could provide more information on the current statistics in the field of pain management, making the article more informative.
References
Barr, J., Fraser, G. L., Puntillo, K., Ely, E. W., Gélinas, C., Dasta, J. F.,… Coursin, D. B. (2013). Clinical practice guidelines for the management of pain, agitation, and delirium in adult patients in the intensive care unit. Critical Care Medicine, 41(1), 263-306.
Tracy, S. M., & DiNapoli, P. P. (2012). Exploring the theory of integral nursing with implications for pain management practice. International Journal for Human Caring, 16(1), 26-33.