| dc.description.abstract | Internationally, there is proof that there is oligo analgesia in the accident and emergency department. It was therefore imperative to find out if the nurses and doctors working in the accident and emergency department at the KNH, were equipped in the area of provision of analgesia.
Objective: To establish knowledge, attitudes and practice of analgesic use amongst staff working in accident and emergency department in Kenyatta National Hospital.
Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital's accident and emergency department.
Design: Kenyatta National Hospital's accident and emergency department. The questionnaire was accompanied by a consent form to be signed by the study participants. The questionnaire was used to determine the quality of pain management given to patients.
Methodology:
This study was carried out over a one month period. Data was collected from the consenting nurses and doctors with the use of a questionnaire. Upon completion, the questionnaires were collected on the same day. The information from the questionnaires was verified, entered and analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Studies) version 17.
Results:
This study revealed that the commonest analgesic agent used in the accident and emergency at the KNH was NSAIDs (95.4%). The commonest used route for administration of analgesics was the 1M route (78%) due to ease of administration. There was a general reluctance of administration of opioids in the accident and emergency department. In addition to this the opioids which were administered were largely given by the 1M route rather than by the IV route. This demonstrated opiophobia which is the prejudice against the use of opioids.
It was identified that lack of guidelines on pain amanagement was a hinderance to the provision of effective pain management. In addition to this, the nurses and doctors conferred that introduction of guidelines on pain management in the accident and emergency department would improve provision of analgesics for acute painful conditions.
Recommendations:
emergency department for proper pain assessment. Also regular refresher courses on analgesic use in the emergency department should be held regularly. In addition to these, guidelines on pain management should be formulated to improve provision of effective analgesia in the
accident and emergency department. | en_US |
