Relationship between nurses’ pain management self-efficacy and ethical attitudes in pain management: a cross sectional and correlational study

Pain assessment in clinical settings is crucial in terms of its accuracy, patient safety and rights, and ethical considerations. This study aimed to determine the relationship between nurses’ levels of pain management self-efficacy and ethical attitudes in pain management. This is a cross-sectional and correlational study. The study included 161 nurses working at a training-research hospital in Turkey between January-March 2026. Data were collected via Personal Information Form, Pain Management Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and Ethical Attitude Scale in Nursing Pain Management. Descriptive statistics, pearson correlation, multiple linear regression analyses were used for data analyses. There was a moderate, positive and significant correlation between nurses’ ethical attitude in pain management and their self-efficacy in pain management scores ( p = 0.000). Especially care and dignity subscale score was significantly correlated with pain management self-efficacy and the subscale scores ( p = 0.000). Ethical attitudes in pain management was a significant positive predictor of pain management self-efficacy (B = 0.397, β = 0.388, 95%CI [0.249, 0.544], t = 5.316, p = 0.000). Care and dignity subscale was also a significant predictor of pain management self-efficacy and its subscales ( p < 0.05). Nurses’ ethical attitudes and self-efficacy in pain management are related concepts. Ethical attitudes in pain management emerged as a significant positive predictor of nurses’ pain management self-efficacy. Perceptions of self-efficacy in pain management are formed by an approach that protects the patient’s dignity and is care-focused.