Date of Award
Fall 1990
Document Type
Thesis - Restricted
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Steele, Beverely
Second Advisor
Shaw, Chris
Third Advisor
Matheus, Rosemarie
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the degree of patients' pain as inferred by hospital staff nurses and the nurses' professional educational background and clinical experience. The emphasis of social interaction and relationships between people postulated in Symbolic Interactionism theory and the delineation of the nurse and the patient as a system with each affecting the behavior of the other expounded in King's Open Systems Model provided the conceptual framework for this study. The population consisted of 135 registered staff nurses employed in a Iocal community hospital. Utilizing a descriptive correlational survey, subjects completed a research questionnaire and the Standard Measure of Inferences of Suffering (SMIS) tool (Davitz & Davitz, 1981). In response to the SMIS, overall mean physical pain scores for all subjects was 2.82 (mild) and overall mean psychological distress scores was 4.42 (moderate). It was noted that nurses tended to infer a greater degree of psychological distress than physical pain. No significant relationship was found between inferences regarding degree of patients' pain and the nurse's professional educational background area of clinical specialty, or length of time practicing nursing. Further study regarding factors influencing nurses' inferences is recommended.
Recommended Citation
Sinclair, Kathleen A., "The Relationship of Selected Nurse Characteristics to Nurses' Inferences of Pain" (1990). Master's Theses (1922-2009) Access restricted to Marquette Campus. 5439.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/theses/5439