Postoperative pain remains inadequately managed in many low-resource settings, contributing to delayed recovery and reduced patient satisfaction. Nurse-led multimodal and non-pharmacological pain management strategies have been proposed as effective, context-appropriate approaches to improving postoperative outcomes. This study examined the effect of nurse-led multimodal and non-pharmacological pain management interventions on postoperative pain outcomes in selected secondary health facilities in Cross River State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental, non-randomised pre-test and post-test control group design was adopted. The study involved registered nurses working in postoperative care units of selected secondary health facilities. A sample of 280 nurses was determined using Yamane's formula and selected through a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a validated structured questionnaire and observational checklist. Reliability testing yielded a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.82. The intervention comprised nurse-led training and supervised implementation of multimodal and non-pharmacological pain management strategies over four weeks. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25, with descriptive and inferential statistics applied. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Findings showed a statistically significant improvement in postoperative pain outcomes following the intervention. Patients in the intervention group reported reduced pain intensity, improved functional recovery, and higher satisfaction with pain management compared with pre-intervention scores and the control group. Nurse-related outcomes, including pain assessment practices and utilisation of non-pharmacological interventions, also improved significantly. Nurse-led multimodal and non-pharmacological pain management interventions are effective in improving postoperative pain outcomes in secondary health facilities. Integrating structured nurse-led pain management programmes into routine postoperative care may enhance recovery and patient satisfaction, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
Ochim* et al. (Sun,) studied this question.