Mona Mohamed Mayhob^1,, Manal Abd Elsalam²

Postoperative pain is overwhelming for the patient, family, healthcare system, and society. Patients with postoperative pain have an increased risk of suffering, morbidity and mortality, emotional complications, and delayed healing. There is an increased risk of negative physiological effects, such as myocardial supply and demand mismatch, interruption of normal respiratory function, activation of the sympathetic nervous system, reduction in gastric motility, and coagulopathy. Aim of the study: To evaluate the effect of implementing evidence based nursing practices on reducing postoperative pain among patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Research design: This study utilized quasi-experimental design. Setting of the study: This study was conducted in surgical departments in one of the governmental hospitals. The Study subjects: This study recruited 80 patients from 8 surgical departments and 40 nurses from different surgical departments. Data collection tools: Two tools were used; first tool used to assess patient’s demographic and medical data; second tool used to assess pain characteristics before and after implementing evidence based nursing practices. Results: This study proved that, there is a noticeable improvement of postoperative pain after 4 hours from implementing evidence based nursing practices in comparison to the pain in the first hour among patients in the study group. Conclusion: Implementing evidence based practices significantly reduced postoperative pain. Additionally, the current study provided empirical proof that evidence based nursing practices for managing postoperative pain significantly improved patient reported pain intensity. Recommendations: The current study recommended that, evidence based practices could improve outcome of post-operative pain and consequently it should be embedded in the management of postoperative pain in different clinical settings not only for surgical patients. The findings also imply the need for involving all the health team members in the managing of postoperative pain.

evidence, based practices, post-operative pain, abdominal surgery