Survey of knowledge and attitudes regarding pain among nurses of four 3-A grade hospitals in Jiangsu province

Abstract

Objective To survey the pain management knowledge and attitude among nurses from the ICU of four third grade class A hospitals in Jiangsu province, preliminary understand pain management knowledge level of the nurses from the ICU, attitude of ICU nurses pain knowledge training and provide the references for the future and the basis. Methods A total of 109 ICU nurses from four 3-A hospitals in Jiangsu province (including 64 comprehensive ICU nurses and 45 college ICU nurses) were surveyed using the Chinese version of Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP) (2008) questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, frequency, percentage, variance analysis. Results Correct ratio of 109 nurses to the questionnaire was from 25.00% to 62.50%. Average correct ratio if the questionnaire was 42.50%. Correct ratio of individual item ranged from 0.00% to 87.16%. Top 10 items which answered correctly were listed: individually dosage of opioid agents, cultural background of pain, pain assessment of children, relationship of pain tolerance and drug usage and analgesic effect of drug combination. Lowest ranked 10 items were case analysis question, postoperative analgesia using prn based on pain assessment, ratio of respiratory depression caused by opioid agents, physiological dependence and administration route of opioid agents, relationship between placebo and pain and relationship between pain and sleep. Conclusions Nurses′ knowledge and attitude to pain management is insufficient and needs to be trained and evaluated in ICU. Key words: Pain management; Knowledge; Attitude; Nurses of Intensive Care Unit