In postoperative pain management, defining the nurses' knowledge and attitudes related to requested (PRN) analgesic orders

SUMMARYIn Postoperative Pain Management, Defining the Nurses' Knowledge andAttitudes Related to Requested (prn) Analgesic Orders.This discriptive study has been planned and applied to determine theknowledge and the attidue of nurses applying requested analgesics in thepostoperative pain management.The study, has made in Antalya Goverment Hospital, Antalya AtatürkGoverment Hospital and Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine Hospital. Thesample has been occured 131 nurses who work in surgery clinics in these hospitals.The data has been collected between january/2 and March /24- 2006 dates by usingquestionnare. Q-Square and percentage tests were used in the statistical analysis.Nurses reported that analgesics were apllied when patients need by them.Nurses believe that required analgesics haven?t used to by alone. Their aim to aplie afew analgesics not more. It is determined that the analgesic is applied when the painbegan. Nurses knowledge about pharmacology of the analgesic that they used wereless and they use nonpharmacological methods instead of drugs. There isn?t anywritten or verbal protocols related with requested analgesic order both of twohospitals.The result of the study, it is suggested education programmes for nurses andoccuring written protocols in the hospitals.Key words: Nurses, postoperative pain, requested (prn) analgesic