Nurses' Attitudes Concerning Analgesia Administration for Pediatric Patients with Sickle Cell Disease in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Pain management of vaso-occlusive crises is a fundamental priority in the lifelong care of children and adolescents with sickle cell disease.

Aim: This study examined nurses' attitudes towards caring for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and SCD pain management in those with vaso-occlusive pain.

Method: A structured, self-reporting survey was provided to a convenience sample of 298 nurses across 10 hospitals serving Jordan's northern and middle regions. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for data analysis.

Results: Most nurses (77%) perceived their experience caring for children with SCD as positive. Many nurses (65%) felt frustrated about caring for these children during painful episodes. Participants identified workload and inadequate time as limiting their ability to address the analgesic needs of children with SCD. Receiving structured education specialized in pain management and more years of experience in nursing significantly predicted less hesitancy in administering opioid-based analgesia.

Conclusions: The results of this study provided further insight into factors that potentially contribute to vaso-occlusive pain crises frequently being poorly managed and inadequately addressed among pediatric patients. Nurses' attitudes and understanding of SCD pain management must be addressed to advance the clinical practice of managing pain in children with SCD.