Background & Aims

Pain is a common symptom among oncology patients. Satisfying patient’s expectation of timely pain relief remains a challenge in government run Cancer hospital, considering the huge number of patients. Empowered nurses to undertake pain specific assessment, decision making and performing pain relief procedures will improve overall patient management in Hospital.
Objectives of the study:
1.To develop nursing task force in immediate pain management of patients following onco surgeries.
2.To find the number of post operative -pain management related procedures performed by nurses after their training program.
3.To assess the opinion of nurses and Acute Pain Service ( APS) doctors regarding benefit of nurses involvement in the functioning of the APS and overall services provided to the patients.

Methods

Quantitative pre and post design was undertaken for the study at two hospitals of Tata Memorial Centre (Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai and ACTREC, Navi Mumbai), India. Total 80 nursing staff with minimum 3 years of experience in oncology nursing at the Tata Memorial Center, were selected with purposive sampling for the study. All the staff underwent 13 days training program comprising of didactic lectures, demonstrations, return demonstration and competency checklist. Feedback from the nursing staff and Acute Pain Services (APS) doctors regarding effectiveness of training program was taken using structured questionnaire. Data regarding number of procedures performed by nursing staff were taken from the record sheet. Data from both hospitals was collected from 1.07.2023 till 31.12.2024. Data analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

Data related to number of Acute pain management services provided by the APS Team nurses was measured in both hospitals for 6 months. Before the training involvement of nursing staff in acute pain management was limited to assessment of pain, reporting to pain team doctors and administration of intravenous top up medications. Administration of pain relief medications through elastomeric pump, CADD or PCA pump, bolus medications through regional catheter, care and removal of regional catheters and epidural catheter was entirely dependent on APS team doctors. Post training, numbers of procedures performed by nursing staff have increased exponentially. Though 93% of epidural catheter was removed by doctors, 21% of regional catheters were managed and removed by the nursing team. Feedback from APS team doctors and nursing staff regarding effectiveness of training program has shown significant change in the nurse’s knowledge and attitude towards patients’ pain.

Conclusions

Training of nursing staff in Acute post operative pain management has made nurses competent in performing pain related procedures. The training has improved overall pain management following oncology surgeries in a government run Hospital.

References

References:
1.Valenti V, Rossi R, Scarpi E, Ricci M, Pallotti MC, Dall’Agata M, Montalti S, Maltoni M. Nurse-led telephone follow-up for early palliative care patients with advanced cancer. J Clin Nurs. 2023 Jun;32(11-12):2846-2853.
2. Epstein AS, Desai AV, Bernal C, Romano D, Wan PJ, Okpako M, Anderson K, Chow K, Kramer D, Calderon C, Klimek VV, Rawlins-Duell R, Reidy DL, Goldberg JI, Cruz E, Nelson JE. Giving Voice to Patient Values Throughout Cancer: A Novel Nurse-Led Intervention. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2019 Jul;58(1):72-79.e2.

Presenting Author

Ms Supriya Salunkhe

Poster Authors

Supriya Salunkhe

GNM( ONCO-Nursing)

TATA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL and Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, INDIA

Lead Author

Topics

  • Education