台灣地區的醫學大學學生對疼痛處理的態度及知識程度

Medical University Students' Attitude and Knowledge of Postoperative Pain in Taiwan

前言：自從疼痛被定義為第五項生命徵象後，適當的疼痛處理漸漸地被重視。而臨床上疼痛處理的不足可能因態度及知識程度的不足所導致。因此，了解醫學大學學生對疼痛處理的態度及知識程度似乎可以得知教育對臨床疼痛處理的品質。方法：我們使用McCaffery和Ferrell所設計用來評估處理疼痛的態度及知識程度的問卷對中國醫藥大學牙醫系、物理治療系、藥學系、護理系及後中的學生進行評估。總共回收了290份有效問卷。結果：大多數學生會懷疑病人自述的疼痛程度，而且認為疼痛的表現應伴隨著生命徵象的改變、或睡眠的干擾。他們也不知道術後使用鴉片類止痛藥所引起的成癮性是很少發生的。問卷的平均分數為4.81，達表示現今的教育是不夠的。不足的知識是會造成臨床上處理疼痛的障礙。

Since pain has been described as the fifth vital sign, the importance of adequate pain management became more invaluable. Insufficient pain management may result from insufficient knowledge in pain management and conservative attitude toward pain management of healthcare providers. For improving pain management, it is necessary to determine medical university students' attitude and knowledge level before they become healthcare providers. This paper presents findings from a study which investigated the understanding of, and attitudes toward, postoperative pain management among students in China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. This survey was conducted via questionnaire containing 10 questions abridged from McCaffery and Ferrell's Nurse's Knowledge and Attitudes Survey regarding Pain. All participants in this study were China Medical University (CMU) students. There were 290 valid questionnaires replied and the score referred to the number of correct answers (0 to 10). The average score of all participants was 4.81. Most participants doubted the pain intensity reported by patients themselves and are not aware that pain may or may not influence vital signs and result in sleep disturbance. They did not know the incidence of drug addiction resulting from postoperative narcotic analgesia is low. The students' knowledge level needed to be improved before they become competent clinical healthcare providers.