Nurse and Provider Pain Management Education Priorities and Barriers

The purpose of this research was to describe health care nurse and providers' pain management education priorities and barriers for pediatric cardio-thoracic surgical (CTS) patients and their caregivers.

This was a qualitative-descriptive study design using survey methodology.

A convenience sample of 206 (CTS) health care professionals including 172 nurses, 11 advanced practice providers, and 23 physicians were invited to participate in this study. The survey was distributed through a work e-mail within a 145-bed tertiary pediatric hospital and focused on collaborative pain management educational priorities and barriers.

Of the 206 cardio-thoracic service health care nurses/providers surveyed, 45.6 % (N = 94) responded to the survey. The top pain management education priority for these nurses/providers included immediate postoperative pain management knowledge for the caregiver and pediatric CTS patient. The lowest priority 13.8% (N = 13) included education related to pain management needs after discharge. Of the 94 nurses/providers who responded, 31.9% (n = 30) identified the presence of timing and communication barriers in providing pain management education with caregivers and pediatric CTS patients.

The aim of this research was to describe health care providers pain management education priorities and barriers for cardio-thoracic surgical (CTS) pediatric patients and their caregivers.

145-bed tertiary pediatric hospital.

Nurses, advanced practice providers [APP's], and physicians.

Nurses and providers prioritize immediate postoperative pain management education; however, there remains a need to focus more on the outcomes of pain management education for caregivers and pediatric CTS patients after discharge.