A Nonrandomized Pretest Posttest Study on the Impact of an Educational Pain Management Program on Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Pain in a Middle Eastern Country

Abstract

Background: Although nurse's knowledge and attitudes regarding pain management has been sufficiently studied worldwide, the impact of an educational intervention program in improving such attitudes and knowledge has not been likewise researched, especially in Middle Eastern countries.

Aims: To examine nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding pain at a university hospital in Lebanon before and after the introduction of a pain management educational program. And to assess the relationship between the characteristic of nurses and their pain knowledge.

Methods: Design; A nonrandomized pretest posttest study design was used. Setting; A university hospital in Lebanon. Participants; Included 183 nurses using the Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain questionnaire. The pain educational intervention was based on the principles of Ajzen's theory of planned behavior.

Results: A significant difference between the pre and post test scores was noted (p = .016). Questions answered correctly by 80% of participants were related to questions about pain, pain assessment and management, and questions related to medications, such as correct dosages and opioid side effects were not answered correctly by the majority of nurses. There were significant associations between test scores and the nurses' educational level, their age, and their years of experience. Nurses who worked in critical care units, the emergency department and oncology had higher scores than nurses who worked on general units.

Conclusions: Despite the intensive pain education provided at our institution, the pain knowledge of nurses remains below that recommended level which indicates a dire need for more intensive and continuous education in order to provide a pain free environment.