Nurses' Knowledge and Practices about Management of Acute Pain among Injured Persons at Kafr El Sheikh General Hospital

Abstract

Background: Pain is the most common reason due to which patients come to the emergency department and painful traumatic injuries account for a large portion of emergency department visits. Inadequately managed pain can lead to adverse physical and psychological patient outcomes. Because of the capricious nature of trauma pain, recognition and alleviation of pain, regular assessment and frequent adjustments in medications, dosages, and techniques should be a priority when treating the ill and injured patients. Aim of the study: to assess nurses' knowledge and practices regarding management of acute pain among injured persons at Kafr El Sheikh General Hospital. Research Design: A Descriptive exploratory research design was utilized in the current study. Research questions: a) What do emergency nurses know about management of acute pain among injured persons at Kafr El Skeikh general hospital? b) What are the emergency nurses' practices toward acute pain among injured persons at Kafr El Skeikh general hospital?Setting: The study was carried out at the emergency department in Kafr El sheikh general hospital. Sample: A purposive sample including nursing staff who were working in the emergency department at Kafr El Sheikh general Hospital and were willing to participate in this study(70 nurses).Tools of data collection; Tool 1:Knowledge assessment questionnaire sheet which consist of two parts(a)personal characteristics& background data.(b)Emergency nurses' knowledge regarding management of acute pain Tool 2: An observational checklist Results: (91.4%) of the study sample were females .As Well, (85.7%) of them were married .While (47.1%) of them were having technical nursing institute degree and (45.7%) of them got training courses in emergency courses, the highest mean scores related to causes of acute pain(0.4333 out of 1),all the study subjects had unsatisfactory general knowledge about acute pain and hundred percent of the studied sample were having an unsatisfactory practice level in relation to nursing management for acute pain Conclusion: considering the result of the present study and the available evidence it can be concluded that, hundred percent of the studied sample were having an unsatisfactory Knowledge practice level in relation to nursing management for acute pain. Recommendations: based on results of the present study can recommended Hospital decision makers create strategies to decrease work load on nurses and encourage inservices training programs for nurses included knowledge and skills for how to apply assessment and management of patients with acute pain.