Date of Award
Spring 5-18-2023
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
DNP Doctor of Nursing Practice
Department
Nursing
Advisor
Mary Ellen Roberts, DNP
Committee Member
Kimberly Conway, PhD
Committee Member
Megan Filoramo, APN-C
Keywords
Chronic pain, self-efficacy, mindfulness, meditation, health coaching, wellness
Abstract
Background: The opioid crisis in the United States warrants an improved standard of practice for managing chronic pain. A large body of evidence highlights a positive correlation between health coaching focused on mindfulness-based interventions and its potential to improve the overall well-being of chronic pain patients. Currently, there are limited resources to address these patients' psychosocial needs, and the primary treatment plan consists of pharmacological management using long-term opioids. Project Aim: The 3M Chronic Pain Coaching Model is a 6-week coaching group focused on mindfulness, meditation, and motivation. This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate how a mindfulness-based chronic pain coaching group affected patients’ perception of pain. Methods: Two six-week coaching sessions with 5 and 7 participants were implemented at a pain management practice. The coaching groups were led by a chronic pain nurse practitioner (NP) dually certified as an integrative health and wellness nurse coach. Each 60-minute coaching group was held virtually and conducted once per week. Participant responses to pre-and post-intervention Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaires (PSEQ) and a post-coaching feedback survey were collected. Results: The results of the coaching group illustrated an improved perception of pain as evidenced by qualitative data collected in the feedback survey. However, the pre-and-post PSEQ scores did not provide statistically significant results to indicate that patients developed an improved pain perception. Conclusion: Chronic pain coaching as an adjunctive therapy to traditional pharmacological treatment can potentially improve patients' perception of pain and empower them to take control of their lives. More longterm studies are necessary to create official practice guidance. Keywords: Chronic pain, Mindfulness, Meditation, Self-Efficacy, Health Coaching
Recommended Citation
Levy, Suzanne A., "Improving Patients' Perception of Pain: An Evaluation of a Nurse Practitioner-Led Chronic Pain Coaching Group" (2023). Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs). 3073.
https://scholarship.shu.edu/dissertations/3073
