Awareness

Nurses have a key role in effective pain management, the nurse's accurate assessment, prompt intervention and adaptation of pain relief measures are necessary for positive patient outcomes. This cross-sectional study carried out to highlight awareness of pain for its' importance to nurses. A convenience sample of (107) nurse selected randomly from four teaching hospitals in Nineveh Governorate through the period "December/2009-March/2010". Knowledge and Attitude Survey regarding Pain tool had been used n collecting data from the subjects which was self-administered through interview with each subject in the workplace. The main findings were; "Mean scores of correct answers= 15.65 ± 2.52, Total= 57.63, Percentage= 57.63%, Range= 40.74% 85.19%", the workplace scores statistical significant differences with awareness as a ward or as a hospital working in. The study concluded that overall awareness was good as a total or as domains except patients' behavior domain while it recommended to include the educational curriculum by pharmacological area, patient assessment and integration of knowledge about pain into daily practice. Keys; Awareness, Pain, Nurse.