Chronic pain in the paramedic practice setting – a qualitative study of patients’ perspective
Journal article
Peacock, Lucinda, Lewandowsky, Rachel, Ann-Bowles, Kelly, Lord, Bill and Andrews, Tim. (2024). Chronic pain in the paramedic practice setting – a qualitative study of patients’ perspective. Paramedicine. 21(2), pp. 79-88. https://doi.org/10.1177/27536386231220966
Authors | Peacock, Lucinda, Lewandowsky, Rachel, Ann-Bowles, Kelly, Lord, Bill and Andrews, Tim |
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Abstract | Background: Chronic pain is highly prevalent among the global population and has a significant impact on a patient's livelihood in multiple areas. Chronic pain is now more widely recognised as a standalone medical condition by most healthcare disciplines, separate from that of acute pain. This has allowed for the development of a unique evidence-based approach to caring for these patients, which incorporates the biological, psychological, and social dimensions in which chronic pain transverses. However, in the paramedic practice setting, chronic pain has received scant mention. This knowledge gap leaves many paramedics operating without guidelines suitable for the care of chronic pain patients or an epidemiological foundation describing the incidence or treatment requirements of this patient cohort. Most importantly, the perspectives and experiences of chronic pain patients who are treated by paramedics have yet to be investigated which is vital to ensure relevant care. Aims: To describe and understand the experience of patients requiring ambulance attendance for chronic pain-related complaints. Methods: Six participants were enlisted using convenience sampling. Participants responded, via Zoom, to an inductive, semi-structured interview. Analysis was performed using qualitative reflexive thematic analysis with a non-positivist, constructive approach. Results: The themes identified were ‘the impact of stigma’ and ‘inadequate paramedic education’. Most participants shared similar attitudes and experiences regarding paramedic management, expressing dissatisfaction with the current standard of practice in relation to chronic pain complaints. Conclusion: Patients experiencing chronic pain are underserved by the standard of care being offered in this practice setting. Concerns raised by patients centred around the impact both stigma and educational understanding have on treatment. These findings indicate a need for further research, including the revision of guidelines and consideration of the patient perspective to be conducted in this area. |
Keywords | chronic pain; paramedicine; qualitative; reflexive thematic analysis |
Year | 01 Jan 2024 |
Journal | Paramedicine |
Journal citation | 21 (2), pp. 79-88 |
Publisher | Sage Publications Ltd. (UK) |
ISSN | 2753-6386 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1177/27536386231220966 |
Web address (URL) | https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/27536386231220966 |
Open access | Open access |
Research or scholarly | Research |
Page range | 79-88 |
Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
Output status | Published |
Publication dates | |
Online | 19 Dec 2023 |
Publication process dates | |
Accepted | 30 Nov 2023 |
Deposited | 22 Oct 2024 |
Additional information | © The Author(s) 2023 |
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work as published without adaptation or alteration, without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). | |
Place of publication | United Kingdom |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/91061/chronic-pain-in-the-paramedic-practice-setting-a-qualitative-study-of-patients-perspective
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Publisher's version
OA_Lord_2023_Chronic_pain_in_the_paramedic_practice.pdf | |
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 | |
File access level: Open |
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