Improving nurses' pain management knowledge and attitude

Abstract

This Quality Improvement (QI) project was conducted to improve Registered Nurse (RN) pain management knowledge and attitude. Pain control and management in the acute care setting is repeatedly described in the literature as inadequate. Ineffective management of pain is a current problem having financial impact related to ineffective pain control. Ineffective pain management costs approximately 635 billion annually with Medicare holding one fourth of the expenditures (IOM, 2010). This study examines the effect of an 8-hour pain educational program and its effect on the pain management knowledge and attitudes of (n=40) RNs’ in attendance. A learning needs assessment identified an immediate need to improve our RNs’ pain management knowledge and attitudes. RNs’ attending the Pain Resource Nurse (PRN) eight-hour program were offered a voluntary pre-survey, attend the 8-hr. learning activity, and then completed a post-survey. The “Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain” a valid and reliable pre and post-survey instrument for data collection to measure pain knowledge and attitudes. A matched pair t-test was performed to test the statistically significant difference between the Pre proportion correct and the Post proportion correct. The pain management knowledge improved as resulted by a mean test score = 0.145 and p-value 0.0002, attitude improved mean test = 0.07 and p-value 0.0009, overall improvement (knowledge and attitude) mean test = 0.18, p-value <0.0001. Findings showed a statistically significant difference in proportion correct. The statistically significant findings suggest the PRN program is a catalyst for nurses’ improved understanding of pain management knowledge and attitude.