Nurses' Perception of a Tailored Web-Based Intervention for the Self-Management of Pain After Cardiac Surgery

Geraldine Martorella; Lucinda Graven; Glenna Schluck; Mélanie Bérubé; Céline Gélinas

doi:10.1177/2377960818806270

Nurses' Perception of a Tailored Web-Based Intervention for the Self-Management of Pain After Cardiac Surgery

SAGE Open Nurs. 2018 Nov 21:4:2377960818806270. doi: 10.1177/2377960818806270. eCollection 2018 Jan-Dec.

Authors

Geraldine Martorella¹, Lucinda Graven², Glenna Schluck², Mélanie Bérubé³, Céline Gélinas^{3

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Affiliations

¹ TMH Center for Research and Evidence-Based Practice, College of Nursing, Florida State University, FL, USA.
² College of Nursing, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
³ Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
⁴ Centre for Nursing Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
⁵ Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
⁶ Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Abstract

Background: Cardiac surgeries rank among the most frequent surgical procedures and present a risk of chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP). A continuum approach is required to prevent the development of CPSP. As a first step, a tailored web-based intervention was developed and successfully tested to tackle pain management during hospitalization. Before proceeding to further development, preliminary acceptability of the intervention including the postdischarge phase must be evaluated.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine nurses' perception of a tailored Web-based intervention for pain management in the early recovery phase. The objectives were to evaluate intervention's acceptability and to identify ways to enhance its acceptability.

Methods: A parallel mixed methods approach was used to assess the acceptability of the intervention in the early recovery phase (first month after surgery).

Results: In total, 249 participants completed the online survey and 10 participants were individually interviewed. Overall, the intervention was rated as acceptable. No difference was found in acceptability ratings by demographics. The intervention was rated as appropriate to very much appropriate by 79% of participants. Although nurses seemingly would recommend it to their patients, they did not perceive that their patients would be as highly willing to use it. Interviews highlighted several strengths of the intervention, such as postoperative pain awareness, customization of content, and flexible dosage and schedule. However, the main weakness was related to patient adherence. Opting for a hybrid format and integrating individual preferences could enhance the coaching experience.

Conclusion: The innovative intervention was judged as acceptable for pain management in the early recovery phase. Considering that the intervention has demonstrated positive effects on the pain experience in the first week after cardiac surgery, it seems logical to explore its potential impact after discharge on the transition to CPSP.

Keywords: cardiology; health promotion; medical/surgical; practice; telenursing.