Knowledge and Practice of Pain Assessment and Management and Factors Associated with Nurses’ Working at Hawassa University Referral Hospital, Hawassa City, South Ethiopia

Abstract

Pain assessment and management is the pivotal nursing care. It affects patients’ improvement and quality of life. Cross sectional study was conducted to assess nurses’ knowledge and practice towards pain assessment and management in Hawassa University referral hospital, Hawassa city, South Ethiopia. An institution based cross sectional study was conducted in 2014. A total of 184 nurses working in Hawassa University referral hospital were recruited. Data were collected by semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire of pain assessment and management. The study participants were selected by simple random sampling technique. Binary logistic regression with 95% confidence interval was used to identify factors associated with pain assessment and management. Overall, the participants’ pain assessment and management was found to be: 35.9% were knowledgeable; nurses who have degree and above were 1.9 times knowledgeable on pain assessment and management than diploma nurses [AOR=1.9; 95% CI: (1.07–3.47)]. Nurses who have nine and above service years had 2.35 times more practice in pain assessment and management than those having service years less than nine years [AOR=2.35; 95%CI:(1.01–5.45)]. In this study, nurses’ pain assessment and management was very low. The hospital manager was assigned nurses’ low experience with high experience and nurses who have degree and above with diploma nurses in each ward.

Keywords: Nurse’s knowledge and practice pain assessment and management, Ethiopia

Cite this Article

Fikru Tadesse, Zemenu Yohannes, Lemlem Beza. Knowledge and Practice of Pain Assessment and Management and Factors Associated with Nurses’ Working at Hawassa University Referral Hospital, Hawassa City, South Ethiopia. Research & Reviews: Journal of Health Professions. 2016; 6(3): 24–31p.