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Journal article
Nurses' Experiences of Pain Management for Patients With Diagnosed Mental Health Conditions: A Systematic Review
Journal of advanced nursing, Early View
2026
PMID: 42053393
Abstract
Aim
To synthesise the available evidence related to nurses' pain assessment and management practices for patients with diagnosed mental health conditions.
Design
Mixed-methods systematic review.
Data Sources
Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus and Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection.
Methods
Databases search was conducted in March 2024 and updated in June 2025. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data synthesis followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis.
Results
Of the 1318 eligible studies identified, 12 met the inclusion criteria. The included studies were methodologically robust overall but frequently neglected nonresponse bias and were predominantly conducted in high-income countries, potentially limiting generalisability. The synthesis revealed diverse experiences among nurses in assessing and managing pain in patients with diagnosed mental health conditions. Six key themes emerged: Inadequate and Inconsistent Pain Assessments, Seeing is Believing, To Trust or Not to Trust the Patient, A Balancing Act, Diagnostic Overshadowing and Organisational Restraint and Support.
Conclusions
This review highlights the ongoing challenges nurses encounter in assessing and managing pain and the need for enhanced education and institutional support to strengthen nurses' capacity for effective pain assessment and management in patients with diagnosed mental health conditions. Stigma, both structural and interpersonal, continues to shape clinical decision-making, often leading to under-assessment and inadequate treatment of pain. Integrating clinical judgement with validated pain assessment tools will help ensure nurses provide evidence-based pain management for this often-marginalised group.
Details
- Title
- Nurses' Experiences of Pain Management for Patients With Diagnosed Mental Health Conditions: A Systematic Review
- Authors/Creators
- Aaron Lapuz Alejandro (Author) - Edith Cowan UniversityYvonne Middlewick (Author) - Edith Cowan UniversitySeng Giap Marcus Ang (Author) - Edith Cowan UniversityRosemary Saunders (Author) - Edith Cowan UniversityIrene Ngune (Author) - Edith Cowan University
- Publication Details
- Journal of advanced nursing, Early View
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Ltd.; HOBOKEN
- Number of pages
- 26
- Identifiers
- 991005910764607891
- Copyright
- © 2026 The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Murdoch University; School of Nursing
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Citation topics
- 1 Clinical & Life Sciences
- 1.21 Psychiatry
- 1.21.1692 Schizophrenia Comorbidities
- Web Of Science research areas
- Nursing
- ESI research areas
- Clinical Medicine