ความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างความรู้และทัศนคติ กับการจัดการความปวดของพยาบาลในหอผู้ป่วยเด็กวิกฤตภาคใต้

Abstract

This research is a correlational research examined to study the relationship between knowledge and attitude regarding pain management of nurses in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) in the southern Thailand. A purposive sample of 117 nurses working in PICU's of hospitals under the Ministry of Public Health in the southern Thailand was assembled. Data were collected using 1) a general nursing questionnaires, 2) a knowledge and attitude questionnaire regarding pain and pain management, and 3) a pain management questionnaire. The questionnaires were tested for content validity and reliability. The knowledge and attitude questionnaire regarding pain management was tested for reliability using the Kuder' Richardson method (KR-20) yielding a value .81, and pain management questionnaire was tested using Cronbach's alpha yielding a coefficient 0.79. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient. The results showed that: 1. The mean score of knowledge and attitude regarding pain management of nurses was at a moderate level. 2. The mean score of pain management of nurses in Southern Pediatric Intensive Care Units was at a high level. 3. Knowledge and attitudes did not correlate with pain management of nurses in Southern Pediatric Intensive Care Units (r = .051, p = .58) Based on the results of the research, nurses should be provided with training in areas in which they do not have enough knowledge including assessing the physiological changes in pain, the use of pediatric pain scale in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, pharmacological pain management such as analgesic pain administration, as well as non-pharmacological pain management. In addition, nurses' wrong beliefs and attitudes should be focused. Lastly, training workshops related to using pediatric pain scale and non-pharmacological pain management in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit should be provided to enhance nurses' ability in managing pain correctly.