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A Twycross

Publications and source records attributed to A Twycross.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Achieving consensus about pain content for child branch curricula.

AIM: The aim of the study was to identify nurse educators' and nurse managers' perceptions of the educational needs of children's nurses in relation to pain management. RATIONALE: Children continue to suffer unnecessary pain during hospitalization. This has been attributed, in part, to inadequate education among paediatric nurses with a number of studies demonstrating that nursing curricula need re-evaluating with respect to the content relating to pain management. In order to equip nurses to manage pain within clinical practice nurse education needs to provide them with the knowledge and skills required. It is apparent that nurse education is currently failing students in this regard. In order to evaluate nursing curricula with respect to pain management it is necessary for there to be a degree of consensus, among paediatric nurses, regarding appropriate content. METHODOLOGY: A two-round Delphi study was used to ascertain the appropriate pain content for pre-registration child branch courses. When undertaking a Delphi study a number of 'experts' in the field are identified, who complete a series of questionnaires. The first round is used to generate ideas, which are reconsidered in subsequent rounds (Hicks 1999, Reid 1988). Following analysis of the responses to each questionnaire anonymous feedback is sent to the respondents together with the next questionnaire (Walker 1994). Participants were either senior nurse educators or senior nurse managers. RESULTS: Positive correlations were found within the two groups as well as between the educators' and managers' rankings for the 14 categories identified. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that nurse educators and nurse managers have similar views about the pain management knowledge they would expect a newly qualified child branch nurse to have. The list of appropriate pain content derived from the results of this study provides a useful tool with which to evaluate the content of child branch curricula.

Curriculum↗

Education about pain: a neglected area?

To test the hypothesis that educational deficits are in part responsible for the low priority given to pain management by nurses, a study was carried out to ascertain the pain content in the Common Foundation Programme (CFP) and the four branches of pre-registration diploma nursing courses in England. Questionnaires were sent to branch co-ordinators at all the institutions (n = 47) in England which provide the three year pre-registration nursing diploma courses. Results indicate that while child and adult branch programmes cover a wide breadth of topics in on average less than 10 hours. Learning disabilities branch and mental health branch programmes have minimal pain content. These results suggest that there is superficial coverage of the topic. There is need to re-evaluate the teaching of pain in pre-registration nursing courses if pain and its management are to be adequately covered prior to qualification. These results may also have implications for patient welfare and are discussed in this context.

Adult↗

Pain management: a nursing priority?

Literature suggests that nurses do not prioritize pain management. This study aimed to determine the importance paediatric nurses give to pain management and whether they report a need for further training. Paediatric nurses completed a training needs analysis questionnaire. Analysis demonstrates that nurses do not give pain management as high a priority as many of the other aspects of their role. Educational deficits about some areas of pain management were identified. Educational provision about pain needs re-evaluating at both the pre- and post-registration level.

Adult↗

Dispelling modern day myths about children's pain.

Children are still enduring unnecessary pain. Nurses and other health care professionals continue to believe the misconceptions about paediatric pain which contribute to this. These misconceptions have all been shown to have no scientific basis.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Influences on nurses' perceptions of children's pain.

Individuals have their own perceptions of pain. Nurses' do not always perceive their patients' pain. There are a number of factors which influence nurses' perceptions of their patients' pain. Further research is needed in this area.

Adult↗

Perceptions about children's pain experience.

Children are still enduring unnecessary pain, partly due to misconceptions about pain in children. Nurses need to be aware of these misconceptions and to reflect on their own practice. There are a number of factors that influence how nurses perceive pain in children. Nurses need to be aware of these to ensure good clinical practice. Parents are a valuable asset in the management of children's pain and nurses need to work in partnership with them to manage pain.

Analgesics↗

Children's cognitive level and perception of pain.

Doctors and nurses tend not to approach children according to their developmental level. Children develop an understanding of illness and of the cause and effect of pain that reflects Piaget's stages of cognitive development. Until nurses begin routinely to consider a child's developmental level when assessing pain, children will continue to suffer unnecessary pain and anxiety.

Child↗

The management of acute pain in children.

Children cannot always articulate the level of pain they are experiencing, and need to be assessed carefully. The final article in this three-part series discusses a number of pain assessment tools available to help nurses caring for children in pain.

Acute Disease↗