The effect of preoperative nursing education on postoperative pain intensity and pain beliefs in orthopedic surgical patients: randomized controlled trial

Orthopedic surgery is frequently associated with significant postoperative pain, and patients’ pain beliefs may influence pain perception and management. To evaluate the effect of preoperative nursing education on postoperative pain intensity and pain beliefs in orthopedic surgical patients. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the orthopedic clinic of a tertiary university hospital in Türkiye between November 2023 and February 2024. A total of 122 patients (intervention, n = 61; control, n = 61) were included. The intervention group received structured nurse-led preoperative pain education, whereas the control group received standard care. Postoperative pain intensity and pain beliefs were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. The linear mixed-effects model demonstrated a significant group*time interaction for postoperative pain intensity, indicating different pain trajectories between the intervention and control groups. A significant group*time interaction was also observed for psychological pain beliefs, whereas no significant intervention effect was found for organic pain beliefs. Pain intensity was higher among women and patients reporting preoperative fear of pain, although these differences were not statistically significant. Preoperative nursing education was associated with reduced postoperative pain intensity and favorable changes in psychological pain beliefs, but not in organic pain beliefs. Structured preoperative pain education may be considered as part of routine perioperative nursing care to improve postoperative pain management. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06104254. Prospectively registered on 23 October 2023, before participant enrollment.