Changing the relationship among nurses' knowledge, self-reported behavior, and documented behavior in pain...

Area of Science:

• Oncology Nursing
• Pain Management
• Health Education

Background:

• Nurses require enhanced knowledge and skills for effective cancer pain management.
• Rural healthcare settings present unique challenges in delivering consistent patient care.
• Educational interventions aim to improve nurse practices and patient outcomes in cancer pain management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an educational program's effectiveness in changing nurse knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding cancer pain management.
• To assess the impact of the program on patient outcomes.
• To explore the relationship between nurse knowledge and documented practice behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental time-series design was employed.
• Data collected from nurses (N=29) and patient charts (pre-N=209, post-N=163) before and after the educational program.
• Nurse knowledge, attitudes, and documented behaviors were assessed.

Main Results:

• Nurse knowledge showed an upward trend but was not statistically significant.
• Documentation of pain intensity, pain characteristics, and specific analgesic use (e.g., hydromorphone, fentanyl) improved.
• Documentation of propoxyphene use decreased; nurses reported increased confidence and effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Educational programs can positively influence nurse knowledge and practice behaviors in cancer pain management, even if changes are gradual.
• Improved documentation practices are crucial for accurately reflecting changes in patient care.
• Future educational initiatives should focus on analgesic dosing and equianalgesic calculations for enhanced impact.