The relationship between nurses’ knowledge and perceived practice based on clinical practice guidelines of pediatrics’ pain in Guilan University of Medical Sciences

Background: Pain is one of the most common challenging complaints of patients and can lead to significant complications. It is important to identify pediatric nurses’ knowledge about pain control methods and the management in children using clinical practice guidelines. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between nurses’ knowledge and their perceived practice based on clinical practice guidelines of pediatrics’ pain in the central pediatrics’ hospital of Guilan University of Medical Sciences (GUMS). Methods: In an analytical-cross sectional study, 164 nurses were selected by a census method from the central pediatrics’ hospital of GUMS. The study tool was a researcher-made questionnaire developed from the valid pediatrics’ pain guidelines. The data were analyzed by SPSS 21. Results: There was no significant relationship between total scores of knowledge and practice. There was a significant relationship between total scores of knowledge and interventions of pain control (P = 0.045, r = 0.157). Also, general knowledge had a significant correlation with total practice (P = 0.003, r = 0.227), intervention of pain assessment (P = 0.002, r = 0.245) and intervention of pain control (P = 0.035, r = 0.165). General knowledge in pain control (P = 0.006, OR = 1.032) was considered as the predictor of the practice. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that nurses’ general knowledge about clinical guidelines for pain in children was a predictor for their perceived practice. Also, experience and education were related to higher practice. These findings can provide awareness among nurse managers and health care policymakers to update the nurses’ knowledge of pediatric pain management guidelines.