Evaluation of knowledge and comfort with opioid prescribing among pediatric hematology/oncology fellows

Deficits in knowledge and comfort related to pain management have been demonstrated in adult hematology/oncology fellows. No such evaluation has been undertaken in pediatric hematology/oncology (PHO) trainees.

An IRB-approved survey was administered to PHO fellows throughout the United States (US) to assess comfort with opioid dosing, attitudes related to the use of opioids, and knowledge of basic concepts including weight-based dosing, incomplete cross-tolerance, and management of side effects.

Email addresses were obtained for 132 fellows from 37 programs. Seventy-eight (59%) fellows participated. No significant difference was demonstrated between training level and comfort with dosing opioids in an opioid-naive patient, though a smaller proportion of first-year fellows (65%) reported comfort compared to more senior fellows (85.2% of second-year fellows, 80.6% of third- and fourth-year fellows). First-year fellows correctly answered a mean of 5.05 ± 0.43 out of 10 objective knowledge questions; second-year fellows answered 5.74 ± 0.35 correctly, and third- and fourth-year fellows 5.58 ± 0.30. The majority of respondents chose an appropriate dose of intravenous morphine based on weight (92%), and identified a low-dose naloxone drip as an appropriate intervention for opioid-induced pruritis (91%). However, the remainder of the questions had a correct response rate of 15-68%.

This study characterizes PHO fellows' knowledge and comfort with prescribing opioids. Despite high levels of reported comfort, PHO fellows in all levels of training demonstrated knowledge gaps. PHO fellows may benefit from further education in pain management.