Knowledge of Pharmacology of Analgesics Among Nurses in a Tertiary Centre

Objectives: To evaluate the knowledge of nurses about the analgesics they administer in our hospital. Methodology: A total of 102 nurses completed the questionnaire which included 20 multiple choice questions based on the dosage forms, mechanism of action, route of administration, adverse effects of the commonly administered analgesics, the nurses’ educational qualifications and their working experience. Frequency, percentage, mean, Kruskal Wallis test and Mann Whitneys test were used to analyse data. Answers were given a score out of 20(100%). Results: The sample comprised of 17(16.6%) senior staff nurses, 38(37%) junior staff nurses and 47(46%) student nurses. Of the staff, 10.8 % were BSc and MSc nurses, 43.1 were GNM staff. The mean knowledge score of BSc & MSc staff was 12.18, GNM staff was 11.7 and of student nurses was 13.38. None of the groups scored more than 15, suggesting their knowledge was inadequate. There was a correlation between knowledge and experience in the staff nurses. Conclusion: The result of this study suggests that the knowledge of pharmacology of analgesics among nurses is inadequate, and thus supports the need for supplementary pharmacology education for nurses in clinical settings, focusing on common drugs they administer and help prevent medical errors.