MULTIPLE MEANINGS OF PAIN AND COMPLEXITIES OF PAIN MANAGEMENT

Historically, pain has been associated with many different meanings an d views about its causes and appropriate treatment. Nurses have contri buted to pain knowledge through research on psychosocial variables aff ecting the pain experience, assessment and intervention practices, und erstanding patient and family meanings of cancer pain, and sytematic s tudies of pain intervention programs. Nurses also have been leaders in promoting public policy on effective pain management and in implement ing and evaluating innovative programs on pain management in a variety of healthcare institutions and agencies.