Guided Imagery in Multimodal Pain Management: An Analysis of Anesthetic Technicians’s Competence in Postoperative Pain Management

Abstract

Background: Guided imagery is a non-pharmacological technique that may be added to multimodal pain management for surgical patients. Delivering it well in perioperative settings depends on sufficient knowledge and preparedness among health professionals, anesthesia practitioners among them. Even so, little evidence is available on how competent these practitioners are in using guided imagery. Objective: This study sought to examine anesthesia practitioners’ competence in using guided imagery for postoperative pain management across the knowledge, attitude, and behavior domains. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative descriptive design was applied to 47 anesthesia practitioners. A questionnaire with three domains supplied the data: knowledge (maximum score 20), attitude (maximum score 50), and behavior (maximum score 30). Scores and category distributions in each domain were summarized descriptively. Results: Knowledge averaged 17.62±1.01 (88.1%), and every respondent (100%) fell into the good category. Attitude averaged 37.49±11.73 (75.0%); 25 respondents (53.2%) had a good attitude, 6 (12.8%) a moderate one, and 16 (34.0%) a poor one. Behavior averaged 20.38±4.80 (67.9%); 15 respondents (31.9%) showed good behavior, 22 (46.8%) moderate behavior, and 10 (21.3%) poor behavior. Conclusion: Knowledge of guided imagery was good among the anesthesia practitioners, but their attitudes and behaviors toward using it were more varied. The results point to a need to reinforce the use of guided imagery in postoperative pain management practice.