The Effect of Education on the Level of Knowledge and Attitude of Nursing Students in the Management of Children's Pain

Educational programs are a potential way to improve nurses' knowledge about pain and provide a suitable opportunity to deal with negative attitudes and beliefs. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of education on the level of knowledge and attitude of nursing students in the management of children's pain. 

In this quasi-experimental study, a pre-test-post-test design was used. Census sampling design used and statistical sample includes 55 third-year undergraduate students (Islamic Azad University and School of Nursing affiliated to Urmia University of Medical Sciences) of Mahabad city in 2021-2022. Knowledge and attitude towards children's pain were evaluated by PPKAQ questionnaire in two stages before and after training. The educational intervention was presented using a modified lecture and demonstration method. The face and content validity and reliability of the tool was evaluated by test-retest method (r=0.821). Data analysis was performed by descriptive and inferential statistical (t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient) methods through SPSS software version 26 at a significance level of 0.05. 

The results of this study show that the level of knowledge and attitude of nursing students increased significantly (P<0.01) after training. The average total scores obtained by nursing students increased from 34.22±11.02 in the pre-test to 56.73±6.07 in the post-test. There is a positive and significant relationship between knowledge and attitude (P<0.001, r=0.632). 

In this study, providing education was effective in improving the knowledge and attitude of nursing students towards children's pain management. It seems necessary to pay more attention to the issue of children's pain management in nursing courses and to hold training courses and continue these trainings until reaching an appropriate and acceptable level of knowledge and attitude.