ABSTRACT

Pain is a complex phenomenon, involving sensory and emotional experience, that is often poorly understood, especially in infants, anesthetized patients, and others who cannot speak. Pain management is a fundamental aspect of patient care, and nurses play a crucial role in ensuring effective pain relief. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of nurses in the emergency wards and intensive care unit at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital towards pain management. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A censored sampling technique was used to select 110 respondents.Data collection was obtained by the use of a self-structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done in SPSS using descriptive statistics and presented in frequency tables, percentages, mean, and standard deviation. The study revealed that the majority (89.2%) of the respondents had a good level of knowledge of pain and, 98.2% (109) of the nurses had a positive attitude towards pain management. The pain assessment tools employed in the ward, according to the respondents, were: Self-report 56.8%, Verbal description scale 16.2% and Numerical rating scale 14.4%. The respondents also reported that the Glasgow Coma Scale is not a pain assessment tool 84 (75.7%). This study concludes that the nurses displayed commendable knowledge and exhibited favorable attitudes, underscoring their potential to enhance patient care and alleviate suffering effectively. Therefore, the researcher recommends that nurses should engage in continuous professional development and continued education, by studying recent research on pain management and practicing evidence-based skills learned so as to improve pain management incorporation of these techniques into the nurses’ routine ward rounds.