Knowledge and attitudes of nursing students about pain management
Emine Karaman, Birgul Vural Doğru, Yasemin Yıldırım, Emine Karaman, Birgul Vural Doğru, Yasemin Yıldırım
Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to examine the knowledge and attitudes of Turkish nursing students about pain management.
Methods: The participants in this cross-sectional study were 190 nursing students who were studying at a nursing faculty in western Turkey. The research data were collected between March and June of the academic year 2015-2016, using a Student Description Form and the Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (NKASRP).
Results: The mean age of the students in the study sample was 23.06+-1.44 years. In all, 83.7% were female, 96.8% were unmarried, 94.7% were working as a nurse, and all had social security. The mean score of the NKASRP was 15.85+-3.25%. A comparison of the knowledge scores with student characteristics revealed that only the status of current employment as a nurse demonstrated a significant difference. No significant difference was detected between the NKASRP score and variables such as age and the score of the worst pain ever experienced (p>0.05).
Conclusion: It was determined that the students had a generally poor level of pain knowledge. It will improve the quality of life of patients if pain management is given a greater place in undergraduate education.
Source: PubMed