Relationships among empathy, knowledge and attitudes toward pediatric pain management, and professional self-efficacy among pediatric nurses
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study aimed to examine the relationships among pediatric nurses’ knowledge and attitudes toward pain management in children, empathy skills, and professional self-efficacy. This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted with 107 nurses working in pediatric clinics at public hospitals in Diyarbakır, Türkiye, between April and June 2026. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected online using the Sociodemographic Information Form, the Empathy Skills Scale (ESS-B), the Pediatric Pain Knowledge and Attitude Scale (PPKAS), and the Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale (NPSES). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U test, the Kruskal–Wallis test, Spearman’s rank correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis. Regression analyses were conducted with 102 participants with complete data. Nurses with 0–5 years of professional experience had higher empathy scores than those with six or more years of experience (p=0.030), while nurses with 0–5 years of pediatric nursing experience had higher professional self-efficacy scores than those with six or more years of pediatric experience (p<0.05). Nurses who were unaware of a written pediatric pain management protocol had higher professional self-efficacy scores and higher scores on selected PPKAS outcomes (p<0.05). Professional self-efficacy was positively correlated with the PPKAS “Non-Pharmacological Pain Relief Methods” subscale (rₛ=0.381, p<0.001), whereas age was negatively correlated with empathy (rₛ=−0.278, p=0.005). No statistically significant association was found between empathy and overall pediatric pain knowledge and attitudes (rₛ=0.042, p=0.678). In multiple regression analysis, the model for total PPKAS scores explained 15.5% of the variance but did not reach overall statistical significance (R²=0.155, adjusted R²=0.072; F(9,92)=1.873, p=0.066). Despite the non-significant overall model, selected coefficient-level estimates were statistically significant for receipt of pediatric pain management training and awareness of a written pain management protocol. For the “Non-Pharmacological Pain Relief Methods” subscale, the regression model was statistically significant and explained 19.0% of the variance (R²=0.190, adjusted R²=0.111; F(9,92)=2.404, p=0.017). Higher professional self-efficacy was positively associated with this subscale (β=0.297, p=0.007), whereas receipt of pediatric pain management training was negatively associated with scores (β=−0.242, p=0.037). No statistically significant association was found between empathy and overall pediatric pain knowledge and attitudes. Professional self-efficacy was positively associated with knowledge and attitudes regarding non-pharmacological pain relief, whereas the regression model for the PPKAS total score was not statistically significant overall. These findings highlight the potential value of continuing professional development that combines evidence-based pediatric pain education with practice-oriented approaches to non-pharmacological pain management. Not applicable
Source: BMC Pediatrics
Institutions: Cukurova University, Hasan Kalyoncu University
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,090
OpenAlex ID: W7225060237