Narrative medicine to highlight values of Italian pain therapists in a changing healthcare system. (September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Marini, Maria Giulia; Reale, Luigi; Cappuccio, Antonietta; Spizzichino, Marco; Zini, Pierangelo; Amato, Francesco; Mameli, Sergio; Raffaeli, William
• Is Part Of: Pain management. Volume 4:Number 5(2014)
• Page Start: 351
• Page End: 362
• Publication Date: 2014-09
• Subjects: narrative -- pain -- working climate; Pain -- Treatment -- Periodicals; 616.047205
• DOI: 10.2217/pmt.14.35
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1758-1869

Abstract

SUMMARY : Until 2010 pain management in Italy was only partially covered and no structural and qualitative mapping had ever been realized. The VEDUTA project was designed to provide a tool to unite pain therapists in national cooperation. Quantitative questionnaires and narrative plots were sent to 350 Italian specialists; 184 therapists completed the first section and 87 also wrote their stories. Narratives were analyzed through transactional analysis and emotional intelligence. Overall, results show that a patient-centered approach is common in daily practice, but that bureaucracy is endangering quality of care. This cultural analysis, through both the application of quantitative assessment and narrative plots, provides a useful tool to improve those aspects of the system detrimental to the appropriate management of pain in Italy.