Children’s Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes on Paediatric Pain: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Survey  in a Developing Country

Evans Oduro; Abigail Kusi-Amponsah Diji; Grace Kusi; Albert Amagyei; Joana Kyei-Dompim; Alberta Lomotey; Edward Appiah Boateng; Hayford Isaac Budu

doi:10.14710/nmjn.v10i3.32457

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/nmjn.v10i3.32457

Children’s Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes on Paediatric Pain: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Survey in a Developing Country

*Evans Oduro

- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Abigail Kusi-Amponsah Diji

- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Grace Kusi

- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Albert Amagyei

- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Joana Kyei-Dompim

- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Alberta Lomotey

- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Edward Appiah Boateng

- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Hayford Isaac Budu

- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

BibTex Citation Data :

@article{NMJN32457,
    author = {Evans Oduro and Abigail Diji and Grace Kusi and Albert Amagyei and Joana Kyei-Dompim and Alberta Lomotey and Edward Boateng and Hayford Budu},
    title = {Children’s Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes on Paediatric Pain: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Survey  in a Developing Country},
    journal = {Nurse Media Journal of Nursing},
  volume = {10},
    number = {3},
    year = {2020},
    keywords = {Knowledge and attitudes; nurse; pediatric pain},
    abstract = {  Background : Children’s nurses’ knowledge of pain affects their pain management practices. Even though poor knowledge and attitudes have been reported in several studies, most were carried out in developed settings. However, little has been reported on the management of paediatric pain by nurses in resource-limited settings such as in sub-Saharan Africa.   Purpose : This study sought to assess the knowledge and perceptions of children’s nurses regarding paediatric pain in a Ghanaian context.   Methodology : A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out among 65 nurses at eight hospitals at various levels of healthcare in Ghana. Over three months, participants’ demographic data and responses on the Pediatric Nurses Knowledge and Attitude Survey Regarding Pain (PNKAS) instrument were collected. Data were analyzed and presented using descriptive and inferential statistics.   Results : Participants’ average (SD) knowledge and attitudes regarding paeditric pain was 36.7% (6.9%) and ranged from 21.4% to 57.1%. Pediatric pain knowledge and attitudes (PPKA) of the nurses differed based on working years in the children’s unit and the hospital type they worked in ( p <0.05). Nevertheless, the type of hospital facility was the only independent predictor of their PPKA ( R 2  =0.181,  p <0.001).   Conclusion : Children nurses in this setting generally had insufficient knowledge and attitudes on paediatric pain. They should be motivated to undertake self-directed learning and regular continuing professional education to update their knowledge, attitude and skills on evidence-based pediatric pain assessment and management.  },
   issn = {2406-8799},   pages = {222--233}  doi = {10.14710/nmjn.v10i3.32457},
    url = {https://ejournal.undip.ac.id/index.php/medianers/article/view/32457}
}

Citation Format:

Abstract

Background: Children’s nurses’ knowledge of pain affects their pain management practices. Even though poor knowledge and attitudes have been reported in several studies, most were carried out in developed settings. However, little has been reported on the management of paediatric pain by nurses in resource-limited settings such as in sub-Saharan Africa.

Purpose: This study sought to assess the knowledge and perceptions of children’s nurses regarding paediatric pain in a Ghanaian context.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out among 65 nurses at eight hospitals at various levels of healthcare in Ghana. Over three months, participants’ demographic data and responses on the Pediatric Nurses Knowledge and Attitude Survey Regarding Pain (PNKAS) instrument were collected. Data were analyzed and presented using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: Participants’ average (SD) knowledge and attitudes regarding paeditric pain was 36.7% (6.9%) and ranged from 21.4% to 57.1%. Pediatric pain knowledge and attitudes (PPKA) of the nurses differed based on working years in the children’s unit and the hospital type they worked in (p<0.05). Nevertheless, the type of hospital facility was the only independent predictor of their PPKA (R²=0.181, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Children nurses in this setting generally had insufficient knowledge and attitudes on paediatric pain. They should be motivated to undertake self-directed learning and regular continuing professional education to update their knowledge, attitude and skills on evidence-based pediatric pain assessment and management.

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Keywords: Knowledge and attitudes; nurse; pediatric pain

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In Vol 10, No 3 (2020): (December 2020)

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Children’s Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes on Paediatric Pain: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Survey in a Developing Country

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