The influence of length of pediatric nursing experience on key cues used to assess infant pain+

This study examined (1) the influence of continuing education and length of pediatric nursing experience on infant pain assessments, (2) length of pediatric nursing experience on the cues used in making these assessments, and (3) the relationships between cues and assessed levels of pain. The convenience sample consisted of 20 nurses with less than 1 year of pediatric nursing experience, 20 nurses with more than 1 year of pediatric nursing experience but less than 5 years, and 24 nurses with more than 5 years pediatric nursing experience. All had at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Participants assessed videotaped infants in varying degrees of pain, as determined by an expert panel. Results fit with, and provide some quantitative illustration for, the model of clinical nursing development as described by Benner and coworkers. More experienced nurse participants agreed more with the expert panel on levels of assessed pain than the other nurse participants. Similarities and differences in the relationship between key cues and level of assessed pain among nurse participants with differing lengths of pediatric nursing experience are presented and discussed.

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