Integrative Review of Simulation-Based Pain Management Education in Undergraduate Nursing Programs
Pain Manag Nurs. 2026 Apr 9:S1524-9042(26)00121-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2026.03.010. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pain management education continues to be inadequate. Utilizing simulation may be useful to improve pain management education in undergraduate nursing programs. The purpose of this integrative review was to explore the current state of the literature regarding the use of simulation-based education to teach pain management in undergraduate nursing.
METHODS: An integrative review was performed as outlined by the Whittemore and Knafl integrative review method utilizing The Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Web of Science, Psychology and Behavioral Collection, and PubMed. The following search terms were used: Pain management AND nursing education AND (simulation training or simulation education or simulation learning) NOT nurse practitioner.
RESULTS: The search identified 10 studies for this integrative review after initially examining a total of 82 studies from 2015 to 2025. One was a scoping review, and another a general literature review. Out of eight interventional studies, three were carried out in the United States. Five were carried out internationally: Australia, Taiwan, and Jordan. Simulation modalities included traditional in-person simulation with mannequins and standardized patients, computer and audio-visual recorded simulations, computer-based branching path simulation, and virtual reality simulations. Overall, the simulation interventions were reported to be helpful and engaging. Interventions exploring the multi-dimensional nature of pain, pain assessment and measurement, management of pain, and clinical conditions are needed in simulation for undergraduate nursing education.
CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that most of the reviewed research addressed pain management strategies, with a few also addressing the multi-dimensional nature of pain, pain assessment and measurement, and clinical conditions affecting the pain experience. It is suggested that future research compares different pain simulation modalities as well as uses randomized controlled designs to strengthen the body of literature about this topic.
PMID:41963226 | DOI:10.1016/j.pmn.2026.03.010