Abstract
Background Pain management is a very important aspect of nursing care among postoperative patients. Deficit in the knowledge and bad attitude towards pain management among nurses remain a problem in Ghana. In order to manage pain better in the surgical wards, nurses should be well equipped with knowledge of pain assessment and management. Purpose The purpose of the study was to determine nurse's knowledge and attitude towards pain management among postoperative patients in surgical units in Ghana. Methodology. This study used the quantitative study approach with a descriptive cross-sectional study design. A sample of 211 nurses was recruited using the convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a questionnaire regarding postoperative pain management. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and the chi-squared test were used to analyze the data using SPSS version 16.0. Results The mean age of the nurses was 29.77, with the youngest nurse being 23 years and oldest being 39 years. Majority (72.5%) of nurses had moderate knowledge, and 89.6% of the nurses had negative attitude towards pain management. There was no significant relationship between nurse's knowledge and years of experience as a nurse (r = −0.03, p=0.64), as well as no significant relationship between knowledge and number of years working in the surgical ward (r = 0.06, p=0.36). Also, there was no significant relationship between nurses' knowledge and nurses' attitude (r = 0.06, p=0.36). Conclusion and recommendation. The level of knowledge and attitude towards postoperative management were generally inadequate among nurses. Therefore, there is the need to implement in-service training on pain management for nurses working in the surgical units frequently.
Highlights
Pain is an unpleasant emotional or sensory experience associated with actual or potential damage to the tissues [1].e most important factor in determining appropriate and effective pain management in the concept is that, pain is a completely unique and subjective human perception and experience [2]
Results of a study conducted in Uganda determine nurses’ knowledge and practices related to pain assessment in critically ill patients reveal that majority of the nurses (91.2%) had adequate knowledge
About half lacked knowledge on key pain assessment principles, 43.5% did not state patient as the most accurate in rating the pain intensity, and 44% of nurses seldom agree with what patients’ say about pain [19]
Summary
Pain is an unpleasant emotional or sensory experience associated with actual or potential damage to the tissues [1]. Postsurgical/postoperative pain has been described as a complex response to tissue trauma during surgery that stimulates an aversion of the central nervous system. It is experienced immediately after surgery when the anesthesia effect is worn off [3]. A study in India by Sommer et al reported a postoperative experience of moderate to severe pain by 41% among respondents of 1,490 postoperative patients [5]. E nurse plays an important role in the effective management of postoperative pain because it is the responsibility of the nurse to assess pain and provide a timely intervention [10]. E assessment and management of acute postoperative pain is important in the care of postoperative patients. Pain is one of the most common problems faced by nurses when dealing with patients in the surgical units [15]
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