Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Nurses in Perioperative Pain Management

To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Chinese nurses regarding perioperative pain management and to identify influencing factors.

A cross-sectional study.

This study was conducted among nurses from a tertiary hospital in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2022 using a pretested KAP questionnaire. We used descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and multiple linear regression.

Among 1,082 participants, knowledge gaps were evident in the use of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), pain assessment during functional activity, and nonpharmacological interventions. Acceptance of PCA for postoperative pain was low. Clinically, nonpharmacological interventions and pain assessment during rest and activity were underutilized. Multiple linear regression showed that knowledge predictors included working department (β = -0.898, p = .002), professional title (β = 1.732, p = .001), and frequency of participation in pain-related training (β = 3.512, p < .001). The attitude predictors included administrative position (β = 1.984, p = .021) and training participation frequency (β = 1.020, p = .001). Practice predictors included working department (β = -1.765, p = .001), professional title (β = 2.587, p = .004), and training participation frequency (β = 4.294, p < .001).

Nurses exhibit positive attitudes toward perioperative pain management; however, notable deficiencies in both knowledge and clinical practices are observed.

To address these gaps, hospitals should implement structured, evidence-based training programs of at least two sessions annually, along with department-specific programs.