La douleur
Authors:
Dr. Christine Maheu, RN, PhD ,
Ms. Rosemary Cashman ,
Kyla Johnson, Occupational Therapist, Segal Cancer Centre, Jewish General Hospital ,
Ms. Maureen Parkinson, Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor, M.Ed. C.C.R.C, BC CancerDr. Christine Maheu, RN, PhD
Dr. Christine Maheu is an Associate Professor in the Ingram School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University. Dr. Maheu is also an Affiliate Scientist at the University Health Network and the University of Toronto. At McGill University, she teaches research methods, supervises graduate students (masters, doctoral, post-doctoral), mentors practicing nurses and students in research, and conducts research in English and French. She has held research awards with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Cancer Society, and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. These awards funded her research in psychosocial oncology, which focuses on developing and testing psychosocial interventions or measurements tools for various cancer populations. Additionally, in partnership with Ipsos Canada and funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, she is co-leading a nationwide survey of the needs of cancer patients for transition care from the end of their treatment to three years after their diagnosis. Dr. Maheu received awards for excellence in nursing research (2013, 2015, 2016) from Ovarian Cancer Canada, the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology, and the Quebec Association of Nurses in Oncology.
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Ms. Rosemary Cashman
Ms. Rosemary Cashman is a nurse practitioner at the BC Cancer Agency and an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of British Columbia. Her professional experience includes the care of lymphoma, lung cancer and brain cancer patients. She co-chairs the Patient and Family Advisory Council, which guides the brain tumour care program at the BC Cancer Agency. She has authored book chapters and articles related to the care of brain tumour patients and their families. Ms. Cashman was involved in developing and implementing a rapid-access radiotherapy clinic for the palliative treatment of lung cancer and she continues to work in this clinic.
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Kyla Johnson, Occupational Therapist, Segal Cancer Centre, Jewish General Hospital
Ms. Kyla Johnson, M.Sc.A., originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Kyla Johnson works as an Occupational Therapist at the Segal Cancer Center of the Jewish General Hospital. She holds a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from McGill University. Her goal as a rehabilitation professional in Oncology is to enable people with cancer to be able to do what they want and need to do, in all stages of their cancer experience. Kyla helps develop strategies and accommodations to facilitate a return to meaningful life roles, including work. She is specialized in cancer-related cognitive dysfunction and runs a weekly group teaching strategies to improve daily cognitive functioning. Kyla also leads a volunteer yoga class for young adults with cancer. She lives in Montreal, Quebec.
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Ms. Maureen Parkinson, Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor, M.Ed. C.C.R.C, BC Cancer
Ms. Maureen Parkinson is the province-wide vocational rehabilitation counsellor at the BC Cancer Agency. She has also been vocational rehabilitation counsellor at a public rehabilitation hospital and vocational rehabilitation consultant to insurance companies and the court system. She has instructed and facilitated Service-Canada-funded programs on job searching and career exploration. Ms. Parkinson has a Masters in Counselling Psychology, is a Canadian Certified Rehabilitation Counsellor, and completed the Certified Return to Work Coordinator Program through the National Institute for Disability Management and Research. She has developed return-to-work and job-search seminars for cancer patients and created the guidebook “Cancer and Returning to Work: A Practical Guide for Cancer Patients” as well as on-line articles about returning to work and school. She also co-authored a paper commissioned by the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology, “Cancer and Work: A Canadian Perspective”.
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Le cancer ne va pas toujours de pair avec la douleur. Cette dernière peut être provoquée par la maladie même, qui exerce une pression sur les nerfs, les os ou les organes, ou qui les envahit. Parallèlement, certains types de traitement, notamment la radiothérapie, la chirurgie et la chimiothérapie, peuvent également créer une sensation pénible ou douloureuse. Cette sensation sera sourde, pénible, aiguë ou cuisante, donnera ce qui ressemble à des chocs électrique ou encore, dans le cas du cancer du cerveau, causera des maux de tête. Toutefois, il est souvent possible de la traiter dans le cadre des traitements contre le cancer comme la chirurgie, la chimiothérapie, la radiothérapie et la prise d’anti-inflammatoires stéroïdiens.
Conséquences sur le travail
En fonction de son degré et de son emplacement, la douleur peut limiter la mobilité et les déplacements de l’employé, et entraver certaines activités professionnelles. Elle peut aussi causer de la fatigue. Si les analgésiques sont souvent très efficaces, ils ont aussi des effets secondaires qui, pour la plupart, s’atténuent avec le temps ou peuvent être contrôlés. La somnolence, la nausée et la constipation font partie des effets secondaires courants des analgésiques puissants comme les opioïdes, et tous ces problèmes peuvent aussi compromettre l’aptitude au travail. La somnolence peut réduire la concentration et entraîner des risques pour la sécurité lors de l’utilisation de machines ou la conduite de véhicules. Les stéroïdes causent parfois de la somnolence et de l’agitation. À cause de la douleur, surtout lorsqu’elle est persistante, il arrive aussi que les survivants du cancer se montrent irritables et impatients.
L’adaptation du lieu de travail en fonction de la douleur
