Critical Care Nurses’ Perceived Barriers and Enablers of Pain Assessment and Management

Abstract

Aim: To examine critical care nurses’ perceived barriers and enablers of pain assessment and management. Materials/methods: This descriptive correlational study recruited a convenience sample of 200 Jordanian nurses. Pain Assessment and Management for the Critically Ill questionnaire was used to measure the study variables. Results: The most common barriers to pain assessment and management were patient inability to communicate (57.5%), patient instability (56.5%), and the lack of protocols/guidelines for pain assessment (55.0%). Whereas the most common enablers for effective pain management practices were the ongoing education on pain for nurses (60.5%) and physicians who prescribe adequate doses of analgesia (60.0%). Conclusion: Addressing nurses’ perceived barriers and the enablers of pain assessment and management is crucial for optimal pain practice.

Plain language summary

This descriptive study recruited 200 Jordanian nurses to measure their perceived barriers and enablers of pain assessment and management in critical care patients. The most common barriers to pain assessment and management were the patient’s inability to communicate, patient instability and the lack of guidelines for pain assessment. The most common enablers for effective pain management practices were the ongoing education on pain for nurses and physicians who prescribe adequate painkillers. Addressing nurses’ perceived barriers and the enablers of pain assessment and management is crucial for optimal pain practice. The study has several implications for nursing education, practice and research.

Tweetable abstract

Addressing nurses’ perceived barriers and the enablers of pain assessment and management is crucial for optimal pain practice.

Keywords::

• barriers
• critical care
• critical care nurses
• enablers
• Jordan
• pain
• pain assessment

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was funded by Jordan University of Science and Technology [grant number 20200669]. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by Jordan University of Science and Technology [grant number 20200669]. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.