Table III.
Frequency characteristics of obstacles to optimal pain assessment and treatment in elderly patients associated with physicians, in hospitals with and without the certificate
| Barrier | Hospital | Mean | Standard deviation | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physicians’ lack of trust in the nursing assessment of pain in older patients | C N/C |
3.71 3.60 |
1.63 1.62 |
Z = –1.369; p = 0.171 |
| 2 | Physicians’ reluctance to prescribe adequate pain relief in older patients for fear of overmedicating those with dementia or delirium | C N/C |
3.65 3.67 |
1.50 1.53 |
Z = –0.300 p = 0.764 |
| 3 | Antipsychotics are considered before pain medications in agitated patients | C N/C |
3.57 3.52 |
1.36 1.36 |
Z = –1.028; p = 0.304 |
| 4 | Physicians’ lack of knowledge and experience with prescribing pain medications | C N/C |
3.47 3.48 |
1.54 1.51 |
Z = –0.097; p = 0.923 |
| 5 | The “older person is dying anyway” attitude among colleagues on the unit | C N/C |
2.95 2.93 |
1.87 1.90 |
Z = –0.310; p = 0.756 |
Hospital: C – hospital with certification, N/C – hospital without certification. P* – is for the test of difference between hospital with certification and hospital without certification.