• Michela Maria Calleja, Lauren O'Mahony, Emer O'Neill, and Suzanne Timmons.
• From the Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
• Pain Manag Nurs. 2023 Dec 1; 24 (6): e131e138e131-e138.

PurposeRehabilitation nurses require adequate knowledge about pain to improve patient experience and quality of care. We explored nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards pain in older adults in a large rehabilitation hospital in Malta.DesignA cross-sectional study.MethodsIn total, 130 nurses received a short survey, which gathered sociodemographic data, information regarding usual pain management, and prior education on pain. A modified version of the Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP) with 18 questions was used, alongside the 24-item Pain in the Older Adults' Knowledge Survey (POAKS). Non-parametric tests identified factors associated with KASRP and POAKS scores.ResultsOverall, 89 nurses completed the survey (response rate 68%). The median modified KASRP score was 50% (IQR 3.00), with only two nurses achieving the proposed "adequate" score of >80%. The median POAKS score was 79% (IQR 4.00). The only determinant of performance was nationality, with Maltese nurses performing better in POAKS than non-Maltese nurses (median 20.00 (3.00) vs. 16.50 (5.00); p = .003), indicating a possible language-related performance issue. Nurses scored poorly in some questions relating to analgesia administration, particularly opioids, as well as pain indicators and pain assessment.ConclusionsRehabilitation nurses have fair knowledge of pain management in older people but require further education, particularly in opioid indications for pain management, pain expression, and assessment.Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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