Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Uncontrolled and controlled studies were included. Incomplete studies and those for which too much relevant information about the intervention, research methods or findings was lacking, were excluded.
Specific interventions included in the review
Continuing education programmes about pain for nurses. The courses varied in content (e.g. pain theories, effects and side-effects of pain medication, and pain assessment), mode of delivery and duration.
Participants included in the review
Nurses and nursing assistants were included. Some studies also included doctors and pharmacists.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Nurses' knowledge about pain and attitudes to pain; nurses' practice (e.g. documentation of pain, administration of analgesics); patients' perceptions of pain and reception of analgesics.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors do not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the authors performed the selection.