Cancer pain: knowledge, attitudes of pharmacologic management

The knowledge of, attitudes toward, and perceived barriers to pharmacologic management of cancer pain were compared between oncology nurses (N = 128) and long-term care facility (LTCF) nurses (N = 72) using an 82-item questionnaire. The oncology nurses were significantly more knowledgeable about pharmacologic management of cancer pain than were the nurses in LTCFs. However, the two groups did not differ in their attitudes toward pain management, with the exception that nurses in LTCFs were more likely to believe that patients over-report their pain. LTCF nurses were more likely than the oncology nurses to believe that inadequate assessment of pain, lack of equipment, and lack of skills to use equipment were impediments to pain management.