Pediatric Pain Management Knowledge Levels of Intern Nursing Students

Abstract

BackgroundOne of the most common problems in children that pain can not be managed adequately by the health workers. Knowledge level of nurses is an important factor in effective pain management. AimsThis study was designed to determine intern nursing students’ level of pediatric pain management knowledge (PPMK) and the affecting factors. DesignThe study used a descriptive, comparative, correlational, and cross-sectional design. SettingsResearch was conducted at a Nursing School of a State University. Participants/SubjectsThe study was carried out on 72 pediatric nursing internship students. MethodsData were collected using a demographic data form for affecting factors such as grade point averages, age, gender, previous pain education, and self-sufficiency, and a pain management knowledge questionnaire consisting of six subdimensions: awareness of pain, pain physiopathology, barriers to pain management, pain diagnosis, pain assessment, and pain control. Data were analyzed using quartiles, correlation, regression analysis, and the Structural Equation Model. ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 22.64 ± 1.02, and 63.9% of them self-evaluated their current knowledge as inadequate. The PPMK score was 67.58 ± 7.37 and the students got medium level scores from the overall subdimensions. On the other hand, they got the lowest scores from the pain control (29.35 ± 4.29) and the highest scores from the pain assessment (5.49 ± 1.55). A moderate level of significant relationship was found in the Structural Equation Model (p < .05). ConclusionsThe students were determined to have a moderate PPMK level and get the lowest scores, particularly from the pain control.