Ghanaian nurses' knowledge of invasive procedural pain and its effect on children, parents and nurses

Review of the Current Situation of Postoperative Pain and Causes of Inadequate Pain Management in Africa

Postoperative pain is one of the most prevalent complications following surgery, and more than 47% of surgical patients endure postoperative discomfort worldwide. In Africa, due to resource shortages and other issues, postoperative pain is substantially more common when compared to developed countries. Severe postoperative pain has many negative effects, including possibly death, which can burden both individuals and society as a whole. Therefore, effectively controlling postoperative pain is becoming increasingly important. To enhance the effectiveness of future pain management, a thorough analysis of the current reasons for inadequate postoperative pain management is necessary. In this article, the present situations of occurring postoperative pain, children's postoperative pain, and pain management in Africa are reviewed, based on relevant and recent literature. In particular, the reasons for inadequate postoperative pain management in Africa are detailed in this article from five perspectives: the inadequate assessment of postoperative pain, the knowledge gap among medical professionals, the patients' misconceptions, the scarcity of resources, and the lack of medications. Additionally, we offer appropriate solutions following various factors.

The impact of education on the knowledge and attitudes of Ghanaian nurse tutors towards the assessment and management of pain in children: A quantitative study

BACKGROUND

Undertreatment of pain in children is an international problem as many children reports unresolved moderate to severe pain. One key factor which may contribute to under treatment of pain in children by nurses is lack of knowledge. In Ghana opportunities for nurses to learn about pediatric pain have been limited due to gaps in the undergraduate curriculum and inadequate continuing professional education post qualification.

OBJECTIVE

To assess tutors' knowledge and attitudes to pediatric pain management before and after an educational workshop.

DESIGN

Single group pre-test-post-test design.

SETTING

One Ghanaian Nursing Training College.

PARTICIPANTS

All (37) nursing tutors in the college.

METHOD

Total population sampling was used to access 37 tutors, data were collected using the Knowledge and Attitude Survey Regarding Pain at 3 stages; pre-intervention, immediately after the train-the-trainer based Pediatric Pain Educational Workshop and at 3-months follow-up. Data from the survey were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS

Results at pre-intervention showed low scores in the survey. However, post-intervention results at both the immediate and 3-months follow-up stages revealed a significant increase from pre-intervention: Mean (SD) of 20.35 (4.56), to immediate follow-up Mean (SD) 26.93 (5.02), and 3-months follow-up Mean (SD) 25.19 (5.80) and a p-value of <0.001.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest tutors' knowledge and attitudes regarding pediatric pain management can be directly improved through a nurse tutor focused educational program. However, knowledge declines with time and as such there is the need for regular update through Continuing Professional Development activities.

Using ways of knowing in nursing to develop educational strategies that support knowledge mobilization

There are continued challenges in achieving effective pain management for children and young people (CYP). Research has found several barriers to effective CYP pain management, which include, but are not limited to, deficiencies in knowledge among nurses and other healthcare professionals. Calls for improvements in and an increase in pain education ensue, in the expectation that an increase in knowledge will lead to an improved pain care for patients. Educational initiatives, as reported in the literature, have tended to focus on increasing empirical knowledge which has not resulted in the anticipated improvements in practice. An exploration of Carper's and Chinn & Kramer's five ways of knowing helps demonstrate why an over-reliance on empirics fails to equip nurses for the realities of clinical practice and does not facilitate knowledge mobilization or improvements in pain care for CYP. In this paper, we explore these ways of knowing to produce a model for knowledge mobilization in (pain) education. Our model puts forward a multifaceted approach to education using the active learning principles which supports and equip nurses to become effective pain practitioners.

Effects of watching cartoons on pain scores in children undergoing venepuncture

BACKGROUND

Children experience pain and restlessness during invasive procedures.

AIM

To determine the effect of watching cartoons on pain scores and the duration of crying in children aged 3-6 years undergoing venepuncture.

METHOD

The study included 81 children, aged 3-6 years, who presented to the blood collection unit of a teaching and research hospital. The children were divided into an experimental group (n=41) and a control group (n=40). Those in the experimental group watched a cartoon and then venepuncture was initiated. Their pain levels and the duration of crying were assessed during venepuncture. After venepuncture, they continued to watch the cartoons and their pain levels were assessed again. During the process, another researcher calculated the duration of crying. The children in the control group were subjected to the same process but were not shown the cartoon.

RESULTS

Significant differences in pain levels, duration of crying after the procedure and total duration of crying were found between the groups. There was no significant difference in terms of duration of crying during the procedure.

CONCLUSION

Watching cartoons is a non-pharmacological method of pain relief, which reduces perception of pain by distracting a child's attention.