[Social desirability in pain therapy. Response behavior of various professional groups on the implementation of multi-professional pain management].

BACKGROUND: Research on the quality of pain management is often based on self-reported data pertaining to internal regulations provided by employees. However, data examining the correctness of the information given are rare. The project "Pain-Free Hospital" facilitated such an analysis and compared the answers provided by staff members with currently existing regulations.
METHODS: In the course of the project (2004-2006) data on internal pain-related therapy plans, pain management-related regulations as well as the level of knowledge of 3421 nurses, 1757 physicians (825 conservative ward physicians, 728 surgeons and 526 anesthesiologists) from a total of 19 hospitals were collected and examined prior to and after the implementation of a specific training intervention. The congruence of the answers given was measured.
RESULTS: After training 16 surgical wards (previously 12) and 13 conservative wards (previously 2) had standardized therapy plans. Regulations existed in 13 conservative (previously 12) and 16 surgical wards (previously 12). In those hospitals with standardized therapy plans, a significantly higher level of knowledge was found among staff members after the intervention (p < 0.05), especially on surgical wards. In hospitals without therapy plans and regulations there were significantly more incongruent answers (p < 0.05). In comparison to colleagues from conservative wards, surgical nurses and physicians provided significantly more incongruent answers.
CONCLUSION: Therapy plans and pain management-related regulations are known in hospitals after a systematic training. Data suggest that hospitals without regulations show a trend towards social desirability.