• Karen L Schumacher, Setsuko Koresawa, Claudia West, Marilyn Dodd, Steven M Paul, Debu Tripathy, Peter Koo, and Christine Miaskowski.
• School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
• Oncol Nurs Forum. 2002 Oct 1;29(9):1304-13.

Purpose/ObjectivesTo describe the usefulness of daily pain management diaries to outpatients with cancer who participated in a randomized clinical trial of the PRO-SELF Pain Control Program.DesignRandomized clinical trial in which a daily pain management diary was used for data collection in the control group and for data collection and nurse coaching regarding the pain management program in the intervention group.SettingSeven outpatient oncology settings.Sample155 patients with pain from bone metastases and 90 family caregivers.MethodsContent and statistical analysis of audiotaped answers to a semistructured questionnaire.Main Research VariablesPatients' and family caregivers' perceptions of the usefulness of a daily pain management diary; specific ways in which the diary was used.FindingsPatients in both the intervention (75%) and control groups (73%) found the diary useful. The diary was used to heighten awareness of pain, guide pain management behavior, enhance a sense of control, and facilitate communication. Family caregivers in both groups also reported that the diary was useful.ConclusionsThe completion of a daily pain management diary is useful to patients and family caregivers and may function as an intervention for self-care.Implications For NursingResearch-based evidence supports the importance of using a daily pain management diary in clinical practice.

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