Upgrading Nurses’ Knowledge, Attitude and Self-Efficacy Toward Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Pain Management in Children.

Abstract

Background: Every child has the right to be free from pain; nursing staff have a crucial responsibility in the care of children suffering from pain. The study aimed to upgrade nurses’ knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy toward pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management in children. Subjects and Method: Design: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized in this study. Subjects : A convenience sampling of two hundred nurses in Pediatric Medical, Surgical departments, Hematology and oncology unit at Tanta University Main Hospital and Surgical department at Tanta Universal Teaching Hospital. Three Tools were used for data collection: Tool I: Nurses’ knowledge structured questionnaire sheet, Tool II Nurses’ attitude regarding pain management in children. Tool III: Nurses’ Self-efficacy Scale. The results found that nurses’ knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy regarding pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management had improved immediately after and one month after conducting the program with positive significant correlation between total knowledge and total attitude scores. The study concluded that nurses' knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy about pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management improved both immediately after the program and one month later. The study recommended that periodic in-service training program should be carried out for all nurses in various pediatric departments for proper management of pain in children.