KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES (KAP) OF STAFF NURSES REGARDING PEDIATRIC PAIN ASSESSMENT AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THEIR PERCEIVED SELF-EFFICACY IN PAIN MANAGEMENT

Background: Effective pediatric pain management is a critical component of nursing care, yet undertreatment remains a widespread challenge. Nurses' perceived self-efficacy is a key determinant of their clinical performance, but its relationship with their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) is not well understood, particularly in the Pakistani context. Aim: This study aimed to assess the KAP of staff nurses in Karachi regarding pediatric pain assessment and management and to identify the significant predictors of their perceived self-efficacy. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 165 nurses from pediatric wards of tertiary care hospitals using a validated, self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. Result: The regression model revealed that both knowledge (β=0.457, p<0.001) and attitudes (β=0.460, p<0.001) were strong, nearly identical predictors of self-efficacy, while self-reported practices were a weaker but still significant predictor (β=0.086, p=0.044). Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that a nurse's confidence is built on a dual foundation of knowledge and positive attitudes. This underscores the necessity for holistic training interventions that move beyond knowledge dissemination to actively cultivate the professional mindset and self-belief required for nurses to become effective advocates and managers of pediatric pain.