Nurses' Knowledge of Pain Assessments and Reassessments Impacts Hospitalized Patients' Reporting of Pain

Nurses’ Knowledge of Pain Assessments and Reassessments Impacts Hospitalized Patients’ Reporting of Pain by M Michele Potter Williams MSN, University of Phoenix, 2010 BSN, Stevenson University, 2006 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University May 2016 Abstract Ineffective pain management can prolong a patient’s length of stay and increase cost of care. Inadequate pain control decreases the patient’s quality of life and contributes to poor health outcomes. A recent record audit showed that documentation of pain reassessments occurred only 20% of the time within an hour after administering pain medication. Furthermore, nurses may have insufficient knowledge regarding pain assessments and reassessments or hold irrational fears about addiction leading to inadequate treatment of pain. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program for acute care nurses for the assessment and management of the adult hospitalized patient experiencing pain. Guided by Knowles theory of adult learning, nurses’ knowledge regarding pain, assessments, and pain reassessments were evaluated before and after the pain management education program using the Knowledge and Attitude toward Pain Survey (KAPS). A convenience sample of 34 nurses completed the KAPS before and after an educational program addressing pain assessments. Results of the t-test analysis revealed a statistically significant (t = -15.8, df = 33, p<0.00) increase in KAPS scores, from an average pretest score of 70% to an average posttest score of 94%. The results of this project are consistent with the literature, and they illustrate the importance of improving nursing practice by providing nurses with education regarding pain assessments andIneffective pain management can prolong a patient’s length of stay and increase cost of care. Inadequate pain control decreases the patient’s quality of life and contributes to poor health outcomes. A recent record audit showed that documentation of pain reassessments occurred only 20% of the time within an hour after administering pain medication. Furthermore, nurses may have insufficient knowledge regarding pain assessments and reassessments or hold irrational fears about addiction leading to inadequate treatment of pain. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program for acute care nurses for the assessment and management of the adult hospitalized patient experiencing pain. Guided by Knowles theory of adult learning, nurses’ knowledge regarding pain, assessments, and pain reassessments were evaluated before and after the pain management education program using the Knowledge and Attitude toward Pain Survey (KAPS). A convenience sample of 34 nurses completed the KAPS before and after an educational program addressing pain assessments. Results of the t-test analysis revealed a statistically significant (t = -15.8, df = 33, p<0.00) increase in KAPS scores, from an average pretest score of 70% to an average posttest score of 94%. The results of this project are consistent with the literature, and they illustrate the importance of improving nursing practice by providing nurses with education regarding pain assessments and reassessments as a strategy to improve the management of patients’ pain and, resultantly, increase patients’ quality of life. Nurses’ Knowledge of Pain Assessments and Reassessments Impacts Hospitalized Patients’ Reporting of Pain by M Michele Potter Williams MS, University of Phoenix, 2010 BS, Stevenson, 2006 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University May 2016 Dedication Completion of this project would not have been possible without the support of my family. I would like to thank them for their patience, support and understanding of the times I have had to miss family functions related to the time required to complete this DNP project. I would also like to thank the staff where I completed my practicum for their commitment to improved quality of life for palliative care patients in the community. I would also like to acknowledge a special friend, Peter Libby for his support and encouragement through my DNP journey. He was my coach and mentor and friend and I would not have made it through this journey without him. Peter passed away way too soon and he did not live to see me complete my project. I know if Peter could have been here at the end of my DNP journey he would be proud of this accomplishment. I know that he is looking down from heaven with a smile on his face. I share this accomplishment with Peter because I could not have finished it without his support and encouragement. Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge Dr. Eileen Fowles, my chairperson, for her guidance and support every step of this journey; her dedication to lifelong learning has been a true inspiration to me. She has spent many hours mentoring me through the process; she is a dedicated and caring person. I appreciate her support and guidance. I would also like to acknowledge the roles of my committee member, Dr. Paula Stechschulte and my University Research Reviewer, Dr. Allison Terry. Thank you all for your guidance in assisting me to achieve this goal.