Mother's Knowledge of pediatric pain management in the pediatric ward of Valli-e-asr hospital in 2011

Pain is a health problem and major problem of childhood. It is one of the most common symptoms that children experience in hospitals. Pain alleviation prevents from severe complications and side-effects. Mothers are among the key individuals who have the most interactions with pain experiencing children. They can prevent further problems by appropriate assessing and managing of pain in children. The purpose of the present study was to determine mothers'' knowledge of pediatric pain management in Birjand Valli-e-asr hospitals in 2011.

In this descriptive and cross-sectional study mothers of hospitalized children in Birjand Valli-e-asr hospital who were available were selected. After ensuring that they were content with and cooperate in the study، a researcher designed questionnaire was filled out through interview. The questionnaire included demographic questions (10 items) and knowledge questions (49 items) of the nature، symptoms، complication، and management of pain. The obtained data was analyzed by SPSS software (V: 11. 5) at the significant level P<0/05.

Mean score the mothers'' knowledge of pediatric pain management was 19. 5±4. 34 (of the total 49 points); that is، the majority of them had low knowledge of pediatric pain management. No statistically significant relationship was found between education level، age، number of children، history of hospitalization of child/ children، and the mothers'' level of knowledge of pain management in children.

The mothers have low knowledge of their pain management in their children''s without any considerable relationship to some contextual factors. Planning for educational programmes with respect to managing children''s pain is recommended.