Training nursing students in evidence-based techniques for cognitive-behavioral pediatric pain management

This study evaluates the effects of a didactic training program for nursing students involving developmentally appropriate strategies for cognitive-behavioral pain management in children. Junior-level nursing students were assigned to one of two groups: training or control. Pretraining and posttraining knowledge and attitudes toward pain management were assessed. Implementation of cognitive-behavioral strategies was assessed via clinical role-play. Training participants had significantly more knowledge of cognitive-behavioral strategies after the training program versus before it, and they had more knowledge after the training program than did control participants. The training had no effect on attitude. In the role-play, training participants used a higher ratio of cognitive-behavioral strategies and implemented them in a higher quality manner than did control participants. These results suggest that a brief training program in cognitive-behavioral pain management can improve nursing students' knowledge of cognitive-behavioral pain management strategies and ability to implement them.