Knowledge, Practices, and Perceived Barriers Regarding Cancer Pain Management Among Physicians and Nurses In Korea: A Nationwide Multicenter Survey

Abstract

PurposeMedical professionals’ practices and knowledge regarding cancer pain management have often been cited as inadequate. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge, practices and perceived barriers regarding cancer pain management among physicians and nurses in Korea.MethodsA nationwide questionnaire survey was administered to physicians and nurses involved in the care of cancer patients. Questionnaire items covered pain assessment and documentation practices, knowledge regarding cancer pain management, the perceived barriers to cancer pain control, and processes perceived as the major causes of delay in opioid administration.ResultsA total of 333 questionnaires (149 physicians and 284 nurses) were analyzed. Nurses performed pain assessment and documentation more regularly than physicians did. Although physicians had better knowledge of pain management than did nurses, both groups lacked knowledge regarding the side effects and pharmacology of opioids. Physicians working in the palliative care ward and nurses who had received pain management education obtained higher scores on knowledge. Physicians perceived patients’ reluctance to take opioids as a barrier to pain control, more so than did nurses, while nurses perceived patients’ tendency to under-report of pain as a barrier, more so than did physicians. Physicians and nurses held different perceptions regarding major cause of delay during opioid administration.ConclusionsThere were differences between physicians and nurses in knowledge and practices for cancer pain management. An effective educational strategy for cancer pain management is needed in order to improve medical professionals’ knowledge and clinical practices.

Healthcare Providers’ Knowledge and Current Practice of Pain Assessment and Management: How Much Progress Have We Made?

“…This variation was also noticed by other conducted studies [21, 23, 35, 41, 50] and could be due to inadequate educational curriculum and insufficient clinical training programs [23, 26, 44, 51]. …”

“…Mostly what they show was that in general many HCPs, especially nurses, lack adequate knowledge about pain, which led to undertreatment of pain [13, 18–23]. Studies had also shown that HCPs bear misconceptions and myths about pain that impede proper pain management [22, 24–27].…”

“…Physicians knowledge and attitudes about pain have been explored also, although perhaps to lesser extent than nurses' [13, 20, 23, 26, 35–38]. Even fewer studies dealt with the role of pharmacists, particularly clinical pharmacists in pain management [21, 39–41].…”

Knowledge, attitudes and perceived barriers to post-operative pain management: Institution based cross sectional study

“…Previous studies have shown that improving pain assessment procedures requires the caregiver to acknowledge and have faith in the patient's report (Jho et al, 2014).…”

Pain Management in Lung Cancer

“…Medical professionals' practices and knowledge regarding cancer pain management have been said as inadequate, especially due to differences between physicians and nurses in knowledge and practices for cancer pain management [46]. Effective communication is needed for optimal cancer pain management [47].…”