Nurses\u27 Perspectives on Pain Management in the Emergency Department

Over 130 million people seek care in emergency departments (ED) in the United States annually. Most patients who seek treatment in emergency departments are experiencing a painful condition, and as such, ED nurses should have a deep understanding of pain management in the ED. There is limited qualitative research which explores pain management from the nurses’ perspective. The purpose of this study is to describe pain management from the nurse’s perspective. Thorne’s (2005) method of Interpretive Description guided this qualitative inquiry. New knowledge describing the nature of pain management in the ED provides insight into elements which support and impede the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and veracity. This knowledge fills a gap in the literature and will inform nursing research, education, and practice