Paper
Friday, July 23, 2004
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Friday, July 23, 2004
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Knowledge and Attitude of Health-Related Professionals Toward Cancer Pain Management in Taiwan
Shih-Hsien Kuo, RPh, PhD, Basic Medical Science Education Center, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan, Taiwan and Fan-Hao Chou, RN, PhD, School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Taiwan.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes regarding pain of physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. Design: A descriptive study using structural questionnaire to determine the knowledge and attitudes of health-related professionals. The population of this study included nurses, physicians, and pharmacists who served patients and customs in hospitals and communities. Methods: The basic knowledge and attitudes toward pain management were gathered by self- administered questionnaires, which had established reliability and validity. Findings: The results of this survey of knowledge and attitudes toward pain management completed by 188 providers, which consisted of 30 physicians, 82 nurses, and 75 pharmacists. The mean scores of knowledge and attitude toward pain management were 3.3+/-1.3 and 1.8+/-1.2, respectively. Both scores of physicians (3.6+/-1.2 and 2.5+/-1.4, respectively) were higher than nurses and pharmacists (3.2+/-1.2 and 1.8+/-1.1; 3.3+/-1.3 and 1.6+/-1.1, respectively). All providers considered that the barriers of the optimal pain management were patient's family (45.7%); short of assessment skills of pain (34%); and worry about side effects and addiction of pain medication (36.9% and 38.3%, respectively). In addition, the majority of providers thought the choice of drug to manage pain was meperidine (45.7%) rather than morphine (36.2%). Conclusions: Results indicated that nurses lacked knowledge and competence toward pain management. Nurses included in this study also showed the need to strengthen their basic principles and drugs knowledge regarding pain management. These results revealed the needs of advanced educational preparation in nursing school both at junior college and university levels and continuing education at these hospitals.
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