Educating for tomorrow: enhancing nurses' pain management knowledge

Can Nurse. 2007 Apr;103(4):24-8.

Abstract

The Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, was the lead agency in developing a pain management continuing education program for front-line nurses in a variety of settings in northwestern Ontario. A committee of experts from the centre as well as from the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre; Regional Cancer Care; the Pain and Symptom Management Team, North West Community Care Access Centre; the Victorian Order of Nurses and Lakehead University school of nursing developed the program. The program included a pre-test of knowledge and attitudes; four two-hour educational sessions focusing on total pain, acute pain, chronic pain and cancer pain; and a post self-test at the end of each session. The educational sessions were evaluated through a survey to participants. Overall, the nurses expressed high satisfaction with the workshops, and the post self-tests indicated a better understanding of patients' pain management experiences. As a result of the evaluation, the education planning committee refined the program, which is currently being delivered to nurses in rural and remote communities via telehealth.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Clinical Competence / standards
  • Education, Nursing, Continuing / organization & administration*
  • Educational Measurement
  • Forecasting
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Health Services Needs and Demand
  • Humans
  • Knowledge
  • Needs Assessment
  • Nurse's Role*
  • Nursing Education Research
  • Nursing Staff / education*
  • Nursing Staff / psychology
  • Ontario
  • Pain Management
  • Pain Measurement / methods
  • Pain Measurement / nursing
  • Pain* / diagnosis
  • Program Development
  • Program Evaluation
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Total Quality Management / organization & administration