Background: Pain is the most common presenting complaint in patients visiting a healthcare facility. Healthcare professionals need adequate knowledge of pain to be able to manage it effectively. Aim: To determine the Pain Knowledge and Attitudes of the 2018 final year medical students at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Setting: The study was conducted by the Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa with final year medical students Methods: Unruh's Modified Pain Knowledge and Attitudes (MPKA) questionnaire was utilized to collect data in a cross-sectional survey using an internet-based electronic format. Results: A total of 104 students out of 232 students in the class (44.8%) participated in the study. The total median score on the MPKA questionnaire was 46 (IQR 44- 50.5) out of 57, or 80.7%(IQR 77.2-88.6%).The participants performed worst in the section on the pharmacological management of pain with median scores of 6 (IQR 4- 8) (55%) correct out of 11 questions. Conclusion: Pain knowledge, especially with regards to the pharmacological aspects of pain management, has some important deficiencies in these final year medical students. It appears that the undergraduate curriculum and teaching thereof would benefit from a review of the pain curriculum.

<p>Low back pain (LBP) is a growing health and socio-economic problem worldwide, affecting humans from adolescent to adult age. In developed countries, more than 80% of adults are at risk of suffering a disabling episode of LBP at one point during their life time. In developing countries, particularly in Africa, the life time prevalence of LBP varies in population groups, but the disability due to LBP is increasing. The aetiology of LBP is multifactorial, and there is still no consensus on the exact cause and contributing factors to LBP. In addition, little is known about patients&rsquo / knowledge and beliefs on the contributing factors to their LBP. The current study therefore, aimed to identify patients&rsquo / knowledge, attitudes and beliefs on the contributing factors to LBP, among patients attending physiotherapy outpatient departments in Malawi.</p>

<p>Low back pain (LBP) is a growing health and socio-economic problem worldwide, affecting humans from adolescent to adult age. In developed countries, more than 80% of adults are at risk of suffering a disabling episode of LBP at one point during their life time. In developing countries, particularly in Africa, the life time prevalence of LBP varies in population groups, but the disability due to LBP is increasing. The aetiology of LBP is multifactorial, and there is still no consensus on the exact cause and contributing factors to LBP. In addition, little is known about patients&rsquo / knowledge and beliefs on the contributing factors to their LBP. The current study therefore, aimed to identify patients&rsquo / knowledge, attitudes and beliefs on the contributing factors to LBP, among patients attending physiotherapy outpatient departments in Malawi.</p>

Acute and chronic pain conditions have a significant impact on the individual who is experiencing pain and resolution of pain continues to present a challenge to nurses and other health care professionals. It is widely accepted that pain education for nurses is necessary if nurses are to deliver effective, evidenced based pain care. Although it has been shown that participation in pain education improves nurses’ pain knowledge, very little is known about the way in which nurses use their improved pain knowledge in their practice or about the conditions that promote application of that pain knowledge. The aims of this study are (a) to explore the transfer of pain knowledge from a continuing education nursing course into practice, and (b) to investigate the impact that the nurses’ participation in action research has on their ability to improve aspects of their pain practice. Participants are 14 registered nurses who successfully completed two accredited pain course units as part of their BSc / BN degree in Nursing. The nurses formed two groups of inquiry, who used both their participation in the pain course and in action research to investigate and change aspects of pain assessment and management practices within their clinical areas. The inquiry groups were located in two different Health Board locations in Scotland. Following involvement in a pain course, the strategies used by the participating nurses to enhance their pain assessment and management practices are examined. Qualitative data was obtained through individual and group interviews, and analysis of significant incidents. An action research approach contributes to an understanding of conditions that promote application of pain knowledge into practice following participation in the course, and focuses on the possibilities for action and improvement of pain care. The findings from this study demonstrate how nurses develop a more patient-centred approach to pain care and become more accountable for their pain practice. The research also identifies a range of strategies used by nurses to improve collaborative working practices with their colleagues that help to reduce some of the obstacles to delivery of effective pain care. From the outcomes of the inquiry, it is evident that these nurses’ participation in action research has increased the possibilities of their involvement in pain practice interventions. Conditions are created through pain course participation and involvement in action research, which supports nurses’ transfer of pain knowledge into practice Additionally, findings demonstrate the potential action research has for identifying problems with pain care and its potential for helping to develop relevant and workable solutions for improving aspects of care. The findings from this study are significant because they inform teaching and learning approaches which can be used with pain education that helps to prepare nurses to deliver more effective pain care within their health care settings.

Trata-se de um ensaio clínico com três Grupos. Avaliaram-se os efeitos da intervenção \"Treinamento, Avaliação e Registro Sistematizado de Dor\" sobre a intensidade da dor, o consumo suplementar de morfina, o tratamento de efeitos colaterais e a satisfação com a analgesia dos doentes, no pós-operatório de cirurgia cardíaca. Foram estudados 182 doentes, no Grupo I (GI, N=55), Grupo II (GII, N=66) e Grupo III (GIII, N=61). Todos receberam a mesma orientação pré-operatória e submeteram-se ao mesmo protocolo medicamentoso para o controle de dor e dos efeitos colaterais. No GI a equipe de enfermagem não recebeu Treinamento e realizou a avaliação da dor conforme rotina da instituição. Nos GII e GIII toda a equipe de enfermagem participou do Curso de Capacitação Sobre a Dor e Seu Controle (Treinamento). No GII a equipe de enfermagem utilizou a Ficha Sistematizada sobre Dor e seu Controle, a cada duas horas. No GIII a equipe de enfermagem não utilizou esta Ficha. Os doentes dos três Grupos também foram avaliados pela pesquisadora nas primeiras 30 horas, a cada 6 horas (6 Momentos). Os resultados foram analisados pelos testes de Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn, Friedman, Qui-quadrado e Verossimilhança. O nível de significância adotado foi de 5%. Os Grupos foram semelhantes quanto à idade, sexo, escolaridade, tipo de cirurgia, tipo de dreno e estado físico. A dor ao repouso e à tosse foi menos intensa no GII. Ao repouso observou-se diferença no Momento 2 (p=0,012) e à tosse, nos Momentos 2, 3, 4 e 6 (p=0,021, p=0,005, p=0,048 e p=0,001, respectivamente). Na dor à inspiração profunda não houve diferença intergrupos. No GII observou-se maior uso de morfina suplementar (p=0,002), maior número de doentes recebendo morfina (p=0,002) e maior média na relação dose de morfina/doente (p=0,022). O GI foi o que menos recebeu antiemético (p=0,019, Momento 2) mas teve a maior ocorrência de náusea e vômito (p=0,032, Momento 6). Prurido ocorreu somente uma vez e não houve depressão respiratória. A satisfação com a analgesia foi mais elevada no GII nos Momentos 2 e 3 (p=0,001 e p=0,012). O Treinamento associado à Ficha Sistematizada sobre a Dor e seu Controle incitou os enfermeiros a intervirem mais vezes para o ajuste da analgesia, melhorou o controle da dor e a satisfação dos doentes com a analgesia. Mostrou-se a melhor opção para o controle da dor no pós-operatório de cirurgia cardíaca / This paper reports on a clinical trial with three Groups. The effects of the intervention \"Training, Assessment and Registration of Pain\" on pain intensity, supplementary consumption of morphine, treatment of side effects, and satisfaction with analgesia among patients in post-operative cardiac surgery. The sample were studied 182 patients, in Group I (GI, N=55), Group II (GII, N=66) and Group III (GIII, N=61). All received the same pre-operative guidelines and submitted themselves to the same medication protocol for the control of pain and its side effects. In GI, the nursing team did not receive the Training, and carried out the pain assessment according to the routine practice of the institution. In GII and GIII, all the nursing team took part in the Curso de Capacitação Sobre a Dor e Seu Controle (Training Course on Pain and its Control). In GII the nursing team used the Ficha Sistematizada sobre Dor e seu Controle (Systematized Record of Pain and its Control) every two hours. In GIII the nursing team did not use this Record. The patients in the three Groups were assessed by the researcher every 6 hours, for the first 30 hours (6 separate moments). The results were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn, Friedman, Qui-quadrado and Verossimilhança tests. The level of significance adopted was 5%. The Groups were similar, in terms of age, sex, level of education, type of surgery, type of drainage and physical state. The pain in rest and when coughing were less intense in GII. For pain in rest, a difference was observed in Moment 2 (p=0.012) and when coughing, in Moments 2, 3, 4 and 6 (p=0.021, p=0.005, p=0.048 and p=0.001, respectively). For pain on deep inspiration, there was no difference between the groups. In GII, greater use of supplementary morphine was observed (p=0.002), with a higher number of patients receiving morphine (p=0.002), and a higher average ratio of morphine dose to patient (p=0.022). GI was the group which received the least antiemetic (p=0.019, Moment 2) but had the highest occurrence of nausea and vomiting (p=0,032, Moment 6). Pruritis occurred only once, and there was no respiratory depression. Satisfaction with the analgesia was higher in GII in Moments 2 and 3 (p=0.001 and p=0.012). The Training, together with the Systematized Record of Pain and its Control led the nurses to intervene more often in adjusting the analgesia, which improved the pain control and the satisfaction of the patients with the analgesia. This proved to be the best option for the control of post-operative pain following cardiac surgery

Trata-se de um ensaio clínico com três Grupos. Avaliaram-se os efeitos da intervenção \"Treinamento, Avaliação e Registro Sistematizado de Dor\" sobre a intensidade da dor, o consumo suplementar de morfina, o tratamento de efeitos colaterais e a satisfação com a analgesia dos doentes, no pós-operatório de cirurgia cardíaca. Foram estudados 182 doentes, no Grupo I (GI, N=55), Grupo II (GII, N=66) e Grupo III (GIII, N=61). Todos receberam a mesma orientação pré-operatória e submeteram-se ao mesmo protocolo medicamentoso para o controle de dor e dos efeitos colaterais. No GI a equipe de enfermagem não recebeu Treinamento e realizou a avaliação da dor conforme rotina da instituição. Nos GII e GIII toda a equipe de enfermagem participou do Curso de Capacitação Sobre a Dor e Seu Controle (Treinamento). No GII a equipe de enfermagem utilizou a Ficha Sistematizada sobre Dor e seu Controle, a cada duas horas. No GIII a equipe de enfermagem não utilizou esta Ficha. Os doentes dos três Grupos também foram avaliados pela pesquisadora nas primeiras 30 horas, a cada 6 horas (6 Momentos). Os resultados foram analisados pelos testes de Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn, Friedman, Qui-quadrado e Verossimilhança. O nível de significância adotado foi de 5%. Os Grupos foram semelhantes quanto à idade, sexo, escolaridade, tipo de cirurgia, tipo de dreno e estado físico. A dor ao repouso e à tosse foi menos intensa no GII. Ao repouso observou-se diferença no Momento 2 (p=0,012) e à tosse, nos Momentos 2, 3, 4 e 6 (p=0,021, p=0,005, p=0,048 e p=0,001, respectivamente). Na dor à inspiração profunda não houve diferença intergrupos. No GII observou-se maior uso de morfina suplementar (p=0,002), maior número de doentes recebendo morfina (p=0,002) e maior média na relação dose de morfina/doente (p=0,022). O GI foi o que menos recebeu antiemético (p=0,019, Momento 2) mas teve a maior ocorrência de náusea e vômito (p=0,032, Momento 6). Prurido ocorreu somente uma vez e não houve depressão respiratória. A satisfação com a analgesia foi mais elevada no GII nos Momentos 2 e 3 (p=0,001 e p=0,012). O Treinamento associado à Ficha Sistematizada sobre a Dor e seu Controle incitou os enfermeiros a intervirem mais vezes para o ajuste da analgesia, melhorou o controle da dor e a satisfação dos doentes com a analgesia. Mostrou-se a melhor opção para o controle da dor no pós-operatório de cirurgia cardíaca / This paper reports on a clinical trial with three Groups. The effects of the intervention \"Training, Assessment and Registration of Pain\" on pain intensity, supplementary consumption of morphine, treatment of side effects, and satisfaction with analgesia among patients in post-operative cardiac surgery. The sample were studied 182 patients, in Group I (GI, N=55), Group II (GII, N=66) and Group III (GIII, N=61). All received the same pre-operative guidelines and submitted themselves to the same medication protocol for the control of pain and its side effects. In GI, the nursing team did not receive the Training, and carried out the pain assessment according to the routine practice of the institution. In GII and GIII, all the nursing team took part in the Curso de Capacitação Sobre a Dor e Seu Controle (Training Course on Pain and its Control). In GII the nursing team used the Ficha Sistematizada sobre Dor e seu Controle (Systematized Record of Pain and its Control) every two hours. In GIII the nursing team did not use this Record. The patients in the three Groups were assessed by the researcher every 6 hours, for the first 30 hours (6 separate moments). The results were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn, Friedman, Qui-quadrado and Verossimilhança tests. The level of significance adopted was 5%. The Groups were similar, in terms of age, sex, level of education, type of surgery, type of drainage and physical state. The pain in rest and when coughing were less intense in GII. For pain in rest, a difference was observed in Moment 2 (p=0.012) and when coughing, in Moments 2, 3, 4 and 6 (p=0.021, p=0.005, p=0.048 and p=0.001, respectively). For pain on deep inspiration, there was no difference between the groups. In GII, greater use of supplementary morphine was observed (p=0.002), with a higher number of patients receiving morphine (p=0.002), and a higher average ratio of morphine dose to patient (p=0.022). GI was the group which received the least antiemetic (p=0.019, Moment 2) but had the highest occurrence of nausea and vomiting (p=0,032, Moment 6). Pruritis occurred only once, and there was no respiratory depression. Satisfaction with the analgesia was higher in GII in Moments 2 and 3 (p=0.001 and p=0.012). The Training, together with the Systematized Record of Pain and its Control led the nurses to intervene more often in adjusting the analgesia, which improved the pain control and the satisfaction of the patients with the analgesia. This proved to be the best option for the control of post-operative pain following cardiac surgery