Knowledge and factors associated with pain management for hospitalized children among nurses working in public hospitals in Mekelle City, North Ethiopia: cross sectional study

BACKGROUND: American Nurses Association reflects, the role of the nurse in pain management encompasses the entire nursing process, assessment of pain, plans pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management strategies, implements the plan, and evaluates the response of the patient to the interventions. Pediatric pain management has been left largely unaddressed due to factors like limited resources, inadequate training, as well as cultural diversity and language barriers which made sick and injured children not to receive basic pain care. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and factors associated with pain management for hospitalized children among nurses. DESIGN: Institution based cross-sectional study was employed from a total of 261 nurses in Public Hospitals of Mekelle City from March 15 to April 15, 2015. Systematic random sampling method was used to get the study subjects. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The collected data was cleared, categorized, and coded. The cleaned data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 20 software with statistical significance p < .05 at 95% CI. Descriptive statistics was employed. Binary logistic regressions were used to see relationship between dependent and independent variables. RESULTS: Out of 251 participants more than half (58.6%) of nurses had adequate knowledge and had good practice 140 (55.8%). Those respondents who said yes sedation interfering with pain assessment were 2.7 more likely knowledgeable on pain management for hospitalized children than others. In addition to this those nurses who said they had a specific pain management protocol in their institution were 2.159 more likely knowledgeable than others. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of nurses were knowledgeable on some of pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain managements. Most of the nurses had a good practice on children pain managements. Reading guide lines, specific protocols, knowledge, charting area for pain, sedation interfering with pain assessment and working in pediatric ward were some of the factors that were significantly associated with children’s pain management.