Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Pain Management Among Nurses in University‐Affiliated Hospitals in Western Japan: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Background Pain is a major global concern. Nurses’ knowledge and attitudes toward pain management are critical determinants of pain care quality and patient outcomes, making them essential for effective clinical practice. Objective This study aimed to assess nurses’ pain management knowledge and attitudes using the Japanese version of the Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (J‐KASRP), applied for the first time in Japan, and to examine how background factors affect these aspects. Methods A descriptive, cross‐sectional survey was conducted with 1589 nurses in three university‐affiliated hospitals in Western Japan. Data were collected using a questionnaire capturing sociodemographic information and the J‐KASRP. Descriptive statistics, t ‐tests, one‐way ANOVA, and effect size were used to analyze J‐KASRP scores and subdomains. Tukey’s honestly significant difference test was applied for post hoc comparisons across clinical experience patterns. Results Of 1001 respondents, 856 valid responses (85.5%) were analyzed. The mean age was 30.1 years (SD = 8.3), and the mean total correct response rate for the J‐KASRP was 59.8%; only 1.3% scored ≥ 80%. Cancer‐related pain had the lowest J‐KASRP subdomain score (42.5%, SD = 20.3%). Higher total J‐KASRP scores were found for those with a higher level of education, prior clinical pain education, and recent opioid administration experience (all p < 0.001, effect size > 0.2). In an exploratory pattern analysis, regardless of education level, respondents with both education and opioid administering experience had the highest total and pharmacology subdomains’ scores. No significant differences in cancer‐related pain subdomain were observed across patterns of clinical experiences. Conclusions This first application of the J‐KASRP in Japan revealed that nurses’ pain management knowledge and attitudes need to be strengthened, especially for cancer‐related pain and opioid pharmacology. The study findings highlight the importance of pain management strengthening education and training to enhance nurses’ evidence‐based knowledge and clinical competence.