Nurses' responsibilities in postoperative pain management following total hip arthroplasty

Abstract

Total hip arthroplasty is the replacement of a hip joint that has been severely damaged. The operation is recommended if other treatments have not responded adequately. As the nurses are the professionals who spend the most time with patients after the surgery, they play an important role in the patient’s pain management. The aim of the thesis is to define the nurse’s responsibilities in the care of total hip arthroplasty. The purpose of the thesis is to analyze existing research, which may support nurses involved or interested in postoperative pain management.

The method used in this thesis was a literature review. Data used in the study was retrieved from databases CINAHL, EBSCO and PubMed. The six articles found were analysed by using content analysis as a method. The analysis of the reviewed articles revealed three categories: nursing assessment and intervention, patient interaction and effective pain management. It was found that nurses have a vital role and responsibility in pain management. Although knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pharmacology are key in proper patient pain management, communication with the patient is also necessary to obtain the best results.