Abstract
Pain affects approximately 76 million adults in the US. Though pain management has
been targeted as a top priority, it continues to be inadequately addressed. Nursing
faculty are in a unique position to significantly address the problem through facilitating
the acquisition and utilization of knowledge by student nurses. The purpose of this
study was to determine the knowledge of and attitudes toward pain in baccalaureate
nursing students and faculty to establish a foundation for a systematic and comprehensive
integration of pain content in the curricula. The descriptive design included a sample
of 162 junior and senior students enrolled in a baccalaureate nursing program in Texas
and 16 nursing faculty. The Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP)
was used to measure knowledge and attitudes toward pain. A direct correlation was
found between the level of education and the percentage correct score. Differences
found in knowledge and attitudes among the three levels of students and faculty were
significant (df = 3.173; F = 14.07, p < .001). Senior students nearing graduation
scored only 68% (SD = 6.8) with faculty scoring only slightly better with a mean of
71% (SD = 13). Significant differences also were found in assessment of pain through
case scenarios of a patient who was smiling and talking as compared to a patient who
was lying quietly and grimacing (X2 = 37.13, p < .05 (df = 24). Reevaluation of the
way pain assessment and treatment are taught is indicated. Further studies are needed
to assess changes in knowledge and attitudes toward pain as curricular revisions are
made.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 09, 2010
Accepted:
March 4,
2010
Received in revised form:
February 23,
2010
Received:
September 25,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
