The PRO-SELF© Pain Control Program Improves Patients' Knowledge of Cancer Pain Management

Kim, Jung-Eun RN, MS
Dodd, Marylin RN, PhD
West, Claudia RN, MS
Paul, Steven PhD
Facione, Noreen RN, PhD
Schumacher, Karen RN, PhD
Tripathy, Debu MD
Koo, Peter PharmD
Miaskowski, Christine RN, PhD

Jung-Eun Kim, RN, MS, is a staff nurse at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco. Marylin Dodd, RN, PhD, is a professor and associate dean, Claudia West, RN, MS, is a clinical professor, and Steven Paul, PhD, is a principal statistician, all in the School of Nursing at the University of California, San Francisco. Noreen Facione, RN, PhD, is an associate professor in the School of Nursing at Loyola University in Chicago, IL; Karen Schumacher, RN, PhD, is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia; and Debu Tripathy, MD, is a professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. Peter Koo, PharmD, is an associate clinical professor of pharmacy and a pharmacy specialist of pain management in the School of Pharmacy, and Christine Miaskowski, RN, PhD, is a professor and chair, and director of the Program in Symptom Management and Palliative Care in the Comprehensive Cancer Center, both at the University of California, San Francisco. This study was supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (CA 64734). Additional support was provided through unrestricted grants from Janssen Pharmaceutica and Purdue Pharma LP. (Submitted August 2003. Accepted for publication November 26, 2003.)

Digital Object Identifier: 10.1188/04.ONF.1137-1143

Oncology Nursing Forum 31(6):p 1137-1143, 2004.

Purpose/Objectives:

To evaluate the effectiveness of a psychoeducational program (i.e., PRO-SELF© Pain Control Program) compared to standard care in increasing patients' knowledge regarding cancer pain management.

Design:

Randomized clinical trial.

Setting:

Seven outpatient settings in northern California.

Sample:

174 outpatients with cancer and pain from bone metastasis.

Methods:

Following randomization into either the PRO-SELF© or standard care group, patients completed the Pain Experience Scale (PES) prior to and at the completion of the intervention.

Main Research Variables:

Total and individual item scores on the PES.

Findings:

Total PES knowledge scores increased significantly in the PRO-SELF© group (21%) compared to the standard care group (0.5%). Significant improvements in knowledge scores for patients in the PRO-SELF© group were found on five of the nine PES items when compared to baseline scores.

Conclusions:

Implications for Nursing:

The use of a structured paper-and-pencil questionnaire, such as the PES, as part of a psychoeducational intervention provides an effective foundation for patient education in cancer pain management. Oncology nurses can use patients' responses to this type of questionnaire to individualize the teaching and to spend more time on the identified knowledge deficits. This individualized approach to education about pain management may save staff time and improve patient outcomes.