| Summary: | Thesis (MTech (Nursing))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2008. === In South Africa the need for palliative care for the terminally ill is exacerbated by the
upsurge of the HIV/AIDS epidemic resulting in more patients being in need of
palliative care and the provision of effective pain management as part of providing
them with palliative care. Effective pain management requires sound knowledge of
the pathophysiology of pain and its treatment. Research found the attitudes, beliefs,
and knowledge of healthcare professionals regarding pain management impact
significantly on how these professionals practice pain control measures of the
terminally ill.
Despite the increase in knowledge and technological advances people still die in
pain. The upsurge of cancer and AIDS cases require that all nursing practitioners be
competent to deliver palliative care. Effective pain management is an integral part of
palliative care. South Africa has a nurse-driven health care system where Registered
Nurses are expected to become competent in among other health care issues, to
manage pain in the increasing numbers of terminally ill patients due to especially
AIDS epidemic.
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