Effect of attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control on nurses’ intention to assess patients’ pain

Abstract

This study examines the underlying determinants of nurses' behaviour regarding the conduct of pain assessments. One hundred nurses in a variety of health care facilities were invited to complete an Attitude Intention Questionnaire based upon the theory of planned action which is an extension of the theory of reasoned action. Results provide some support for the theory of planned action, as nurses' intention to conduct pain assessment was shown to be predicted by attitude, subjective norms and perceived control, although the latter was the only variable to make an independent contribution to intention. Additional support for the importance of perceived control was provided by the analysis of 'intenders' and 'non-intenders' (to conduct pain assessments), as perceived control was the only variable which differed significantly between the groups. The findings are consistent with earlier studies which showed that the variables in the theory of planned behaviour provided reasonably accurate predictions of behavioural intention.

Assessment of Patient Pain in the Postoperative Context

“…In their work comprising focus group interviews with nurses, the participants demonstrated selectivity toward the use of physical cues in their diagnosis of acute pain. In an earlier study involving a survey methodology (Nash, Edwards, & Nebauer, 1993), nurses perceived that physical data such as abdominal guarding, changes in vital signs, and decreased motility were critical to acute pain assessment. On the other hand, verbal complaints of pain, altered facial expressions, and patients' requests for analgesia were minor defining characteristics.…”

Psychosocial Theories and Pain Management Practices: A Review of Empirical Research

“…Nash et al (1993) conducted a research on five public and private hospitals located in Australia. The result showed that the group effect of attitude towards the behavior, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control can significantly affect the nurses' intention to perform pain assessment.…”

“…In pain management area, the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) explained 21% of the variation in nurses' intention to assess patients' pain (Nash, Edwards & Nebauer, 1993). Jurgens (1996) found that nearly 50% of the variance in behavioral intention to administer morphine was accounted for the TPB determinants.…”

Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Elicit Restaurant Employee Beliefs about Food Safety: Using Surveys Versus Focus Groups

“…While reviewing the literature, the researchers encountered different methodologies utilized for belief elicitation, with some research using paper and pencil surveys (e.g., Crawley & Koballa, 1992;Nash, Edwards, & Nebauer, 1993;Sparks & Shepherd, 2002), some using focus group interviews (e.g., McCarty, Hennrikus, Lando, & Vessey, 2001;Millstein, 1996;Sheehan et al, 1996), and others using both (e.g., Harrison & Liska, 1994;Randall & Gibson, 1991).…”