Core components of an effective pain management education programme for surgical nurses: A Delphi study*

Abstract

The critical reason for this study is the inadequate training received by surgical nurses in acute and chronic pain management nursing services for patients. Purpose This study aimed to describe the core components of an effective pain management education programme (PMEP) for surgical nurses in Thailand. Methods A three-round Delphi method was used. A panel of 40 experts advised regarding the essential components of an effective PMEP for surgical nurses. Results The core components of a PMEP were derived from experts’ panel consensus: (i) multidisciplinary collaboration, (ii) acquisition of innovative knowledge and training by healthcare teams, and (iii) consideration of individual differences when delivering pain management services. To enhance their pain management practices, nurses should adopt multimodal pain approaches that involve family roles and engage in active patient listening. Conclusions The PMEP designed in this study, which adheres to international nursing training standards, promotes the competency of professional nurses.

Surgical Nurses’ Perceptions of Strategies to Enhance Pain Management Proficiency: A Qualitative Study

“…Our results demonstrate the complexity of implementing nursing strategies to improve nurses’ pain management skills. Nurses taking care of patients with pain recognised that this was part of their professional role, as mentioned in previous studies [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 12 ]. Nurses reported partnering with a ‘multidisciplinary team’ for problem-solving while caring for patients in recovery surgery.…”

“…The data in this study were collected from open-ended questions that were distributed in a larger three-round Delphi project [ 8 ]. Data consisting of answers to three open-ended questions from two sequential questionnaires were collected from forty participants (see Table 1 ).…”

“…Samarkandi [ 4 ], and Jaleta, Tuji, and Wake [ 5 ] have focused on pain management related to ineffective nursing strategies. Inefficiencies exist in multidisciplinary collaborations, the development of innovative knowledge and training by healthcare teams, and the recognition of individual differences in the delivery of pain management services [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”

“…Intermediate care units can provide specialized care for patients with complex pain and ensure that they receive comprehensive pain management that addresses their individual needs [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. The implementation of the pain management programmes and ongoing training can be a major factor influencing healthcare perceptions of pain management [ 4 , 8 , 13 ].…”

“…These include exercise, stress relief and other complementary therapies. Nurses can provide training and resources for patients to promote these self-care activities and empower them to manage pain [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ].…”