Attitudes of Surgical Nurses Toward Non-Pharmacological Postoperative Pain Management: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Postoperative pain is a significant continuous clinical problem for patients in surgical units. This study aimed to examine surgical nurses’ attitudes toward the use of non-pharmacological techniques in postoperative pain management and to identify factors associated with these attitudes. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2025 and February 2026 with 200 nurses working in the surgical clinics of a private hospital in Türkiye. Data were collected through digital forms by using the Socio-Demographic Data Form and the Attitude Scale Toward Non-Pharmacological Techniques in Postoperative Pain Management. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used for data analysis (p < 0.05). Results: Approximately 59% of the nurses were aged 20–29 years, and 65.5% were female. 68% of the nurses used both pharmacological and non-pharmacological techniques in postoperative pain management, and 80% of them believed that non-pharmacological methods were effective. The mean total score obtained from the scale was 48.42 ± 9.70, indicating that nurses had a positive attitude toward the use of non-pharmacological techniques. Mean scores related to non-pharmacological techniques differed significantly according to gender, marital status, educational level, professional experience, and department (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Surgical nurses demonstrated positive attitudes toward non-pharmacological postoperative pain management. Non-pharmacological techniques should be integrated into clinical practice by nurses in pain management.