Nursing care of patients with postoperative pain : an observation study at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Tanzania

Abstract: Some cultures regard pain as a natural part of life compared with the Western culture which believes that pain is something unnatural and that has to be eliminated. Transcultural nursing is a way to learn about and provide culturally fitting and meaningful care to people with different cultures. Tanzania suffers from a lack of qualified health workers due to an increased burden of disease and this affects the quality and supply of effective health services. It has been seen that it is common for patients to get inadequate pain treatment and this results in many different complications. The aim of the study was to describe the nursing care of patients with postoperative pain at a rural hospital in Tanzania. The study was implemented at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in Moshi. A qualitative participating observation study with an ethnographic approach was used to collect the data. The data was analyzed by content analysis and resulted in three themes: 1. The role of the nurse, 2. Pain management, and 3. Meeting the patient. The conclusion was that the nursing care around patients with postoperative pain showed an extended collaboration between the nurses and other health care professionals as well as with the patients’ parents. The study further showed that the atmosphere around the patients was positive and calm and that the nurses assessed pain by measuring vital signs and facial expressions.