Understanding Nurses’ Knowledge ofPediatric Pain Management and AnalgesicUse in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background and Objective: Pain is the most common and distressing condition among patients. Irrespective
of age or gender, all patients, individuals, and children are responsive to painful stimulation. Therefore, this
study aimed to assess knowledge and attitudes toward Pain Management among Nurses in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to October 2024, among nurses
working in a tertiary teaching hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A 27-item questionnaire aimed to collect the
knowledge and attitudes toward Pain Management among nurses was included. The data were analysed using the
Statistical Package for the Social Science version 27 was used. Results: Majority of nurses were female (86.2%,
n = 218), with more than half (56.5%, n = 143) aged between 25 and 28 years, and 34% (n = 86) having 2–5 years
of experience. In terms of knowledge, most nurses recognized potential issues with analgesic use: 58.9% did not
consider codeine suitable for a 10-year-old child, and 66.8% acknowledged that frequent exposure to analgesics
can lead to addiction. Analgesic selection for pediatric patients was primarily guided by pain intensity (53.8%),
with the child’s age (33.6%) as a secondary consideration. Regarding non-pharmacological treatments for pediatric
pain management, hypnosis was the most commonly cited option (37.2%, n = 94), followed by music therapy
(12.3%, n = 31) and physical therapy (2.8%, n = 7). Conclusion: The findings concluded that variation exists in
the knowledge of nurses toward pain management. Additional education on pain management is warranted.