title: An analysis of the concept of pain.
abstract: This paper presents a conceptual analysis of the phenomenon of pain. The strategic process of developing a conceptual analysis is a cognitive exercise of critical thinking applied to a very common, but complex and poorly understood, experience. Within the classic framework developed by Walker & Avant (1995), pain is analysed and critical attributes are distilled. A model case, a related case and a contrary case are constructed in the course of creating conceptual clarity. Empirical referents that exemplify the concept of pain are identified. The concept analysis provides a forum for dialectics, offering one defensible interpretation of a complex human occurrence. Nursing implications are discussed in the conclusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003-8001, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montes-Sandoval
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000451:nursing / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011603:Psychophysiology; D009626:Terminology as Topic