Pain awareness among Nurses at Nairobi Women's

Abstract

Background: Inadequacies in the management of pain may not be tied to myth and bias associated with general attitudes and beliefs, but reflect the fact that there may be inadequate knowledge on pain. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish if education provided after registering with a professional body and clinical experience influence nurses’ awareness of pain. Design: Two groups of nurses were assessed to measure their knowledge base using a pain knowledge survey of 20 true/false statements. These statements were incorporated in a self administered questionnaire that also addressed lifestyle factors of patients in pain, inferences of physical pain, general attitudes and beliefs about pain management. Method: One hundred questionnaires were distributed; 86 nurses returned the questionnaire giving a response rate of 86%. Following selection of the sample, 72 nurses participated in the study: 35 hospice/oncology nurses (specialist) and 37 district nurses (general). Data were analysed using SPSS. Results: The specialist nurses had a more comprehensive knowledge base than the general nurses; however, their knowledge scores did not appear to be related to their experience in terms of years within the nursing profession. Conclusion: Whilst educational programmes contribute to an increase in knowledge, it would appear that the working environment has an influence on the development and use of this knowledge. It is suggested that the clinical environment in which the specialist nurse works can induce feelings of reduced self-efficacy and low personal control. To ease tension, strategies are used that can result in nurses refusing to utilize their knowledge, which can increase patients’ pain.