A phenomenological study of pain following fractured shaft of femur.

There is very little work that discusses the pain experience following fractured shaft of femur. Therefore, an exploratory phenomenological study of the individual experience of pain following a traumatic fracture of the shaft of femur was conducted. Two key themes emerged: the injury experience and the pain experience, both linked to the need to maintain physical integrity. The findings underline the highly complex nature of the pain experience and illustrate the range of experiences that individuals with traumatic fractures are exposed to. The findings have implications for the nursing and medical management of patients following long bone fracture.