Evaluation of acute postoperative pain monitoring program for nurses in Thailand

Saudi Med J. 2009 Oct;30(10):1323-7.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an acute postoperative pain monitoring program (APPMP) on pain knowledge, attitude, and applicability of nurses at Prasat Neurological Institute, Bangkok, Thailand.

Methods: This study was conducted from 1st March to 31st October 2008, at the Prasat Neurological Institute, Bangkok, Thailand. Thirty-five neurological nurses were recruited. The effectiveness was evaluated using 3 indicators: pain knowledge score, attitude score, and nursing practice score. The mean score from each indicator group was calculated as the pre-APPMP launching test based. For the post-APPMP launching test, pain knowledge score, and attitude score were measured immediately after educating the participants, while the nursing practice score was measured 6 months later. The descriptive statistics and paired t-test were analyzed. Statistical significance was set at p<0.001.

Results: The nurses' pain knowledge score increased significantly from 36.3-64.8%, together with the practice score from 20-32.2% (p<0.001). The nurses' pain attitude scores were 82.4% in the pre-test, and 84.2% post-test. The patients' satisfaction for the 24 hour post-operation pain management was 4.2+/-0.73, on a 5-point Likert scale.

Conclusion: The APPMP was effective in improving nurses' pain knowledge and practice. Although changing nurses' behavior in controlling patients' pain is possibly time consuming, however, education and a consultation system are still necessary.

MeSH terms

  • Education, Nursing, Continuing / organization & administration
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Monitoring, Physiologic / methods*
  • Nursing Care / standards
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / education
  • Pain Measurement / nursing
  • Pain, Postoperative / nursing*
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Thailand