Multicenter study. Nursing professionals’ perception of training needs in pain assessment in pediatric patients with cognitive dysfunction

Introduction

Pediatric patients with cognitive dysfunction are at greater risk of pain than typically developing children. Pain assessment in these patients is complex and could generate uncertainty in health professionals about what the key aspects are.

Aim

To determine the training needs perceived by nursing professionals regarding acute pain assessment in pediatric patients with cognitive dysfunction.

Methods

A descriptive, cross-sectional, and multicenter study was performed using a survey addressed to nursing professionals who work in pediatrics during the months of August and September 2022.

Results

163 responses were obtained. Most of the professionals who responded were female (92.6%, n = 151), with a mean age of 38.98 ± 10.40 years. The most frequent work unit was the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), in 36% (n = 58). Most of the participants reported not having previously received training on pain assessment in pediatric patients with cognitive disabilities (85.9%, n = 139). However, 70.4% (n = 114) considered it “very necessary” for the development of their work to receive specific training on this topic. Knowing how to assess acute pain in this population (85.3%, n = 139) and knowing the clinical and behavioral manifestations of pain in this type of patient (84.7%, n = 138) were the aspects that obtained higher scores.

Conclusion

This research notes more than 90% of participants consider “quite necessary” and “strong necessary” to be training in pediatric cognitive dysfunction patients pain assessment. Furthermore, work experience, academic education and to be pediatric specialist obtain statistical significance data.