College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

Summer 8-21-2016

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Susan Krawczyk, CRNA, DNP

Second Advisor

Young-Me Lee, RN, PhD

Third Advisor

Julia Feczko, DNP, CRNA

Abstract

Background: Current clinical studies have shown that preoperative non-opioid medications are an effective method to reduce moderate to severe pain in the postoperative settings, but are not commonly utilized in laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients.

Purpose of this study: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of anesthesia providers about the preoperative use of three different non-opioid medications: clonidine, acetaminophen and gabapentin for the treatment of postoperative pain in laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients.

Design: A descriptive survey research design was used to determine anesthesia providers’ knowledge and attitudes regarding preoperative non-opioid medications. A modified evidence based knowledge and attitudes questionnaire was administered to anesthesia providers at the NorthShore University HealthSystem, which included physicians and nurse anesthetists.

Results: This study found that physicians and more experienced anesthesia providers had a more positive attitude towards the use of preoperative non-opioid medications. The findings from this study also suggested that the many anesthesia providers had a lack of knowledge regarding gabapentin and clonidine. Based on the survey results, an educational module was developed focusing on the gap in knowledge and attitude of anesthesia providers towards gabapentin and clonidine as a choice of preoperative medication for postoperative pain control in laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients.

Conclusion:!!The findings helped identify gaps in knowledge and pervasive attitudes towards preoperative non-opioid medications among anesthesia providers to guide the development of an educational module to address these deficiencies.

Relevance to Nursing Practice: The educational module created in this study will be useful to increase knowledge of the use of preoperative non-opioid medications among anesthesia providers for the management of postoperative pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

SLP Collection

no

Included in

Nursing Commons

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