Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the nursing approaches shown to patients followed up in intensive care units, to describe pain in terms of the biopsychosocial aspects, and to review patient-nurse outcomes.
Material and Methods: The study had a qualitative research design and was conducted in anesthesia, cardiovascular surgery, and coronary intensive care units of a private hospital in Ankara between June 22 and December 22, 2015. The study group included twenty-six nurses who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. The data were collected using observational techniques and individual interview reports.
Results: It was found that 69.2% of the study participants were female, 77.0% were high school graduates, 69.0% had an experience of 1-9 years, and 69.2% of them were single. From the data obtained from the participants using observational techniques and individual interviews, the nurses attributed various meanings for pain sensation that patients described and adopted a psychosocial nursing approach to pain complaints; however, possible reactions to nurses were encountered in case of ongoing pain complaints.
Conclusion: Pain is not only a stressful process that affects patients with pain complaints but also a challenging care process for nurses who provide care to patients in pain. Therefore, patients’ pain and feelings (such as discomfort, stress) should be attentively evaluated by nurses before interventions for pain management can be implemented.