Physicians’ And Nurses' Knowledge And Practices About Management Of Acute Pain Among Injured Persons

Abstract

1. Introduction
Although producing acute severe pain is a strong encounter for physically injured patients, the provided healthcare is frequently poor, especially in low-income countries. The knowledge and practice of healthcare providers are significant barriers to good pain management. The magnitude of the problem of acute severe pain has not been specifically determined. Some studies demonstrated that the demand for acute pain management in pre-hospital services was up to 80% because of traffic accident injuries. However, the literature specializing in understanding the knowledge and practices of healthcare providers about the management of acute severe pain and the existence of any regulatory standard that obliges their practices for the management of acute severe pain caused by physical injuries in pre-hospital services is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess physicians' and nurses' knowledge and practices about the management of acute severe pain among injured persons and its associated factors.
Methods
This study was conducted to assess nurses’ and resident physicians’ knowledge and practices about pain management among injured persons at Cairo University Hospitals. The study setting was in the following places of care: trauma, emergency, orthopedic and plastic surgery, and vascular surgery units. These places are responsible for the management of injured patients. The study was conducted at medical facilities to deliver healthcare services and not to right a great wrong.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this study demonstrated that many physicians and nurses in a teaching hospital located in the state of Kuwait seem to possess gaps in their knowledge about pain practices and pain management strategies, especially relating to appropriate management of opioid side effects. Many seemed to still follow old-fashioned, non-evidence-based practices. These are important findings and suggest that there is a need for pain-related educational initiatives directed toward these hospital personnel. Accurate pain assessment and effective management of acute pain among injured persons are important in preventing the long-term negative consequences of the development of chronic pain states. These consequences include impaired function, psychological distress, as well as a greater use of health care resources. The results of our study may be generalized to other hospitals in Kuwait, at least to the trauma care settings. It is recommended that, to confirm the findings, similar studies be conducted in other regional hospitals and in hospitals from other countries.