Author(s)

Astride Houmkoua^1*, Olivier Pancha Mbouemboue¹, Ousmana Oumarou², Henri Essome^2,3, Emmanuel Balep¹

¹Department of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
²Laquintine Hospital of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
³Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Douala, The University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.

Background and objective: Pain is a major concern in the surgical environment, but its management remains insufficient due to several factors related to the nursing staff, the organization of the structure or the patient himself. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge of the nursing staff on postoperative pain at the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study carried out at the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala from September to December 2018. Participants were consecutively selected among members of nursing staff in charge of operated patients in the visceral surgery, trauma surgery, surgical reanimation, gynaecology and obstetrics services. Socio-professional data and data related to knowledge of postoperative pain were collected from this personnel using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Results: With regard to knowledge of postoperative pain, the proportion of correct answers to the knowledge questions was 61.4%. This proportion varied significantly with the specific training received on pain and the specialization of the nursing staff (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of the study reveal knowledge in this population that deserves to be improved with a view to better management of patients undergoing surgery.

Nursing Staff, Postoperative Pain, Knowledge

Houmkoua, A. , Mbouemboue, O. , Oumarou, O. , Essome, H. and Balep, E. (2021) Knowledge of Nursing Staff on Postoperative Pain: The Case of the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala, Cameroon. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 9, 120-131. doi: 10.4236/jbm.2021.95011.