Factors Associated With Pain Perception and Management Among Paediatric Nurses and Nursing Students Using Virtual Children: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Aim: To identify and compare factors associated with pain perception and management among paediatric nurses and nursing students using virtual human technology.

Design: This study employed a comparative, cross-sectional design.

Methods: Fifty-one paediatric nurses from a tertiary hospital and 50 senior nursing students from a nursing college, both located in South Korea, participated in the study. Virtual vignettes, including scenarios with virtual children and their clinical information, were used to assess participants' pain perception and management. The virtual children, created from real face photos, varied in age (young/old), sex (boy/girl) and facial expressions (smile/grimace). Participants rated perceived pain scores and selected management choices for eight virtual vignettes, which were randomly presented. The Korean version of the Paediatric Nurses' Knowledge and Attitude Survey was completed along with demographic information.

Results: Both paediatric nurses and nursing students rated pain scores lower than the actual pain scores reported by virtual children. Nurses rated higher pain scores and accordingly selected more medication doses compared to students. Beyond pain-related knowledge, the facial expression of the virtual child influenced pain rating and medication choices, while age and sex had no effect.

Conclusion: Nursing students were more sensitive to the facial expressions of virtual children when rating their pain compared to nurses. Future studies should explore how paediatric nurses' clinical experiences impact their assessment and management of child patient pain.

Implications for the profession and patient care: Paediatric nurses' knowledge of pain is inadequate, necessitating ongoing education in pain management. Both nurses and nursing students should self-reflect on their pain assessment practices to ensure unbiased care regardless of child patients' characteristics.

Impact: Virtual human technology can be utilised to train nurses and students to identify and address any biases in their assessment of patients' pain perception.

Reporting method: STROBE checklist, cross-sectional.

Patient or public contribution: Digital face photos of four healthy children were used as the fundamental material for creating virtual children, with their parents' consent.