• April Hazard Vallerand, Cheryl Riley-Doucet, Susan M Hasenau, and Thomas Templin.
• College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA. april.vallerand@wayne.edu
• Oncol Nurs Forum. 2004 Jul 1;31(4):809-16.

Purpose/ObjectivesTo demonstrate the effects of a program, directed at homecare nurses, of structured educational interventions on the management of pain and opioid-related side effects in homecare patients with cancer.DesignA longitudinal multilevel, randomized, controlled clinical trial.SettingMidwestern region in the United States.Sample202 nurses caring for patients with cancer recruited from homecare agencies.MethodsThe two-tiered educational program focused on basic and advanced pain management strategies, particularly in the area of pharmacologic options and assertive communication skills. Instruments used were the Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain, the barriers questionnaire, perception of control over pain, and a demographic questionnaire.Main Research VariablesKnowledge and attitudes about pain management, barriers to pain management, and perception of control over pain.FindingsNurses in the intervention group had a significant increase in their knowledge, a more positive attitude about pain management, fewer perceived barriers to pain management, and an increase in perceived control over pain compared to the nurses who did not receive the intervention.ConclusionsThe educational program Power Over Pain has beneficial effects for homecare nurses caring for patients with cancer pain.Implications For NursingA need exists for homecare nurses to gain more insight into pain management strategies and enhance their advocacy skills to improve pain management for patients with cancer treated in the home.

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