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Cancer pain education: a structured clinical instruction module for hospice nurses
M A Plymale1, P A Sloan, M Johnson
1Department of Surgery, Anesthesiology University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington 40536, USA. mplym0@pop.uky.edu
Cancer Nursing
|January 5, 2002
Summary
This study piloted a Cancer Pain Structured Clinical Instruction Module (SCIM) for hospice nurses, showing significant improvements in cancer pain assessment and management skills. The SCIM format, utilizing real patient experiences, was highly beneficial for enhancing cancer pain education.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Oncology Nursing
- Palliative Care
Background:
- The Cancer Pain Structured Clinical Instruction Module (SCIM) is a proven skills training course for medical students.
- Hospice nurses require specialized training in cancer pain assessment and management.
- Existing educational programs may not adequately address the complex needs of cancer pain care in hospice settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To pilot test the Cancer Pain SCIM for registered nurses in a hospice setting.
- To evaluate the perceived effectiveness of the SCIM on nurses' cancer pain assessment and management skills.
- To improve hospice nurses' understanding and application of cancer pain management strategies.
Main Methods:
- A multidisciplinary Cancer Pain SCIM was delivered to 25 hospice nurses.
- The 2-hour course involved rotation through 8 stations, each focusing on specific cancer pain management aspects.
- Participants completed pre- and post-course self-assessments of competence and evaluated the course using a 5-point Likert scale.
Main Results:
- Nurses reported significant improvement in all 8 teaching items (P < 0.001).
- Self-assessed competence scores increased from 2.8 (pretest) to 3.8 (post-test) (P < 0.001).
- Nurses strongly agreed that using patients with cancer in the training was beneficial (mean 4.6/5).
Conclusions:
- The Cancer Pain SCIM effectively improved hospice nurses' perceived competence in cancer pain assessment and management.
- The SCIM format, particularly the inclusion of standardized patients (cancer survivors), was highly valued.
- This structured educational approach shows significant potential for enhancing the quality of cancer pain education for nurses.
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