• Kathleen F Fahey, Stephen M Rao, Marilyn K Douglas, Mary L Thomas, Janette E Elliott, and Christine Miaskowski.
• Palliative Care, El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, CA, USA. kathleen_fahey@sbcglobal.net
• Oncol Nurs Forum. 2008 Mar 1;35(2):233-40.

Purpose/ObjectivesTo describe a complex coaching intervention to help patients with cancer pain explore beliefs and attitudinal barriers interfering with pain management. Patients were coached to explore beliefs about pain, communications about pain management, and the use of analgesics and nonpharmacologic interventions.Data SourcesPublished journal articles, abstracts, and psychology textbooks.Data SynthesisPersonal beliefs, related attitudinal barriers, and associated behaviors impede patient adherence to and success with pain management treatments. Interventions targeting beliefs help patients overcome attitudinal barriers, improve treatment adherence, and obtain better pain relief.ConclusionsCoaching patients to explore beliefs reduces ineffective behaviors and improves pain treatment adherence.Implications For NursingA coaching intervention incorporating assessment of patient beliefs promotes self-management, self-efficacy, and adherence to pain management treatment plans. Advanced practice nurses should consider incorporating this intervention into their communications with patients experiencing cancer pain.

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