Surgical nurses’ perceptions of administering opioid drugs: A descriptive and cross-sectional study

Burçin Irmak, Ordu University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Surgical Nursing, Ordu, TürkiyeFollow
Nurgül Bölükbaş, Ordu University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Surgical Nursing, Ordu, TürkiyeFollow
Elif Aslan Kılıç, Ordu State Hospital, Department of General Surgery, Ordu, TürkiyeFollow
Ömer Seyfi Acar, Ordu State Hospital, Anesthesia and Reanimation Intensive Care Unit, Ordu, TürkiyeFollow
Hatice Polat Şimşek, Ordu University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics, Ordu, TürkiyeFollow
Muharrem Çelik, Gölköy State Hospital, Department of Emergency, Ordu, TürkiyeFollow

Author Credentials

¹PhD, Asst. Prof., Burçin IRMAK

Ordu University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Surgical Nursing, Ordu, Türkiye

ORCID ID: 0000-0003-2168-1872

E-mail: burcinirmak@odu.edu.tr , drburcinirmak@gmail.com

²PhD, Prof., Nurgül BÖLÜKBAŞ

Ordu University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Surgical Nursing, Ordu, Türkiye

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5684-8359

E-mail: nurbol_52@hotmail.com

³BSN, RN, Elif ASLAN KILIÇ

Ordu State Hospital, Department of General Surgery, Ordu, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0002-8522-4577

E-mail: e.aslann099@gmail.com

⁴BSN, RN, Ömer Seyfi ACAR

Ordu State Hospital, Anesthesia and Reanimation Intensive Care Unit, Ordu, Türkiye

ORCID: 0009-0008-9591-840X

E-mail: acaromerrrrs@gmail.com

⁵BSN, RN, Hatice POLAT ŞİMŞEK

Ordu University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics, Ordu, Türkiye

ORCID: 0009-0004-2598-8016

E-mail: haticepolatsimsek@hotmail.com

⁶BSN, RN, Muharrem ÇELİK

Gölköy State Hospital, Department of Emergency, Ordu, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0003-4447-8332

E-mail: muharremcelik191@gmail.com

Corresponding Author:

Burcin Irmak, RN, PhD, Asst. Prof.

Ordu University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Surgical Nursing 52200 Altınordu/Ordu, Türkiye

Phone: +90 543 810 51 91

E-mail: burcinirmak@odu.edu.tr , drburcinirmak@gmail.com

Web: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2168-1872

Abstract

Objective: This descriptive and cross-sectional study investigated how surgical nurses perceived opioid administration.

Material and methods: The sample consisted of 108 nurses from the surgical units of a state hospital in the north of Turkey. Data were collected using a nurse introduction form and the nurses’ perception of administering opioids questionnaire. The data were analysed using descriptive statistical methods and Spearman’s correlation test.

Results: More than half of the participants (51.9%) reported frequently administering opioid drugs. Some of the participants (15.7%) stated that they observed their patients having side effects following opioid drug administration. The three most common side effects were hypotension (46.6%), nausea (30.0%) and vomiting (11.6%). Most participants (87.9%) noted that they should know more about opioid drugs than other drug groups in order to administer them safely. There was a weak negative correlation between participants’ knowledge of side effects when administering opioid drugs and their age, work experience in general, and work experience in the unit (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: It has been determined that surgical nurses need training in the administering of opioid group drugs. Hospitals should provide surgical nurses with inservice training in opioid administration.

Recommended Citation

Irmak, Burçin; Bölükbaş, Nurgül; Aslan Kılıç, Elif; Acar, Ömer Seyfi; Polat Şimşek, Hatice; and Çelik, Muharrem (2025) "Surgical nurses’ perceptions of administering opioid drugs: A descriptive and cross-sectional study," Journal of Perioperative Nursing: Vol. 38 : Iss. 1 , Article 2.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.26550/2209-1092.1369