Self-management Experience of Nurses Living with Migraine: A Qualitative Study
Abstract
Often considered 'only a headache', migraine is a chronic uncurable neurobiological condition characterized by a constellation of unpredictable and disabling symptoms and is the second cause of disability worldwide. Migraine is most prevalent during the peak working years of an average adult (ages 22-55) and is three times more common in females than males. Migraine is prevalent among nurses, and high workplace stress and shift work are suggested as the main contributors. However, literature exploring the experience of persons living with migraine is scarce and nearly non-existent regarding nurses which have important individual and systems implications for health and wellness, job satisfaction, burnout rates, and patient safety. Self-management is essential in chronic disease management as the patient engages in various strategies to be able to live with their condition. Thus, in this study, I employed interpretive description as a methodology to explore and describe the experiences of living and working with migraine among female nurses in Ontario, with particular attention to their priorities and strategies for self-management. The results revealed nurses engaged in various self-management strategies including pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies and highlighted the role of technology in migraine self-management. Participants also described experiences of living with migraine as an invisible condition including feelings of not being understood, stigma and the absence of formal support at the workplace. The implications of these findings support the incorporation of a critical approach to relational engagement that is person-centred including non-judgemental, strength-based care as a practice approach when caring for persons living with migraines and the need to include experiential learning in nursing educational curriculums as a strategy to reduce stigma against migraines.