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International, multi-disciplinary, cross-section study of pain knowledge and attitudes in nursing, midwifery and allied health professions students

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posted on 2023-09-27, 14:11 authored by Jagjit Mankelow, Cormac G. Ryan, Paul C. Taylor, Maire-Brid Casey, Jenni Naisby, Kate Thompson, Joseph G. McVeigh, Chris Seenan, Kay Cooper, Paul Hendrick, Donna Brown, William Gibson, Mervyn Travers, Norelee KennedyNorelee Kennedy, Cliona O’Riordan, Denis Martin

Background: Persistent pain is a highly prevalent, global cause of disability. Research suggests that many healthcare professionals are not well equipped to manage pain, and this may be attributable at least in part to undergraduate education. The primary aim of this study was to quantify and compare frst and fnal year nursing, midwifery and allied health professional (NMAHP) students’ pain related knowledge and attitudes. The secondary aim was to explore what factors infuence students’ pain related knowledge and attitudes.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1154 frst and fnal year healthcare students, from 12 universities in fve diferent countries completed the Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Quiz (RNPQ) [knowledge] and the Health Care Providers Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS) [attitudes].

Results: Physiotherapy was the only student group with statistically and clinically improved pain related knowledge [mean diference, 95% CI] (3.4, 3.0 to 3.9, p=0.01) and attitudes (-17.2, -19.2 to 15.2, p=0.01) between frst and fnal year. Pain education teaching varied considerably from course to course (0 to 40 h), with greater levels of pain related knowledge and attitudes associated with higher volumes of pain specifc teaching.

Conclusions: There was little diference in pain knowledge and attitudes between all frst and fnal year NMAHP students other than physiotherapy. This suggests that for most NMAHP disciplines, undergraduate teaching has little or no impact on students’ understanding of pain. There is an urgent need to enhance pain education provision at the undergraduate level in NMAHPs.

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Publication

BMC Medical Education, 2022, 22,article 547

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BMC

Sustainable development goals

  • (3) Good Health and Well-being

Department or School

  • Allied Health

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