Training the trainer: An educational course for training pain nursing specialists supported by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP)

Abstract

To train pain nursing specialists through a pain education program, 20 nurses from six hospitals in Shanghai Province and seven in six provinces of China received the training of 2-month pain education and 4-month clinical practice. This nonrandomized pilot study examined the results of tests before and after the program, case report evaluations, future plan evaluations, clinical practice, and satisfaction questionnaire. After the program, the score of the test increased significantly compared with that before the program (44.1 ± 3.19; paired-sample t = 10.363; p < .0001). All of the participants thought that the program had broadened their vision, 19 (95%) thought that the program had raised the level of their theoretical knowledge in pain management, 17 (85%) thought that the program had improved their skills in clinical practice, and 15 (75%) thought that the program had played a role in enhancing their research abilities. Considering the whole program, most students (n = 17; 85%) were quite satisfied, and 3 (15%) were simply satisfied. By content analysis of the opening questions, we found that the participants had deeper and broader ideas about nurses' role and pain nursing specialists' responsibilities in pain management. The program improved nurses' attitudes, knowledge, and skills in pain management. The participants recognized pain nursing specialists' responsibilities in pain management more clearly.