• C J Hollen, C W Hollen, and K Stolte.
• College of Nursing, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, USA. chollen@aol.com
• Oncol Nurs Forum. 2000 Nov 1; 27 (10): 1593-9.

Purpose/ObjectivesTo identify knowledge strengths and weaknesses and misperceptions about cancer pain management between two groups of registered nurses in different settings.DesignDescriptive, comparative survey.Setting11 community-based hospices and 7 inpatient hospital oncology units within an urban county.SampleA convenience sample of 30 hospice and 34 hospital oncology unit nurses. Sample criteria included registered nurses who had worked for at least the preceding six months exclusively in either a hospice or hospital oncology unit.MethodsThe North Carolina Cancer Pain Initiative survey and a demographic survey were distributed to the work mailboxes of nurses in the participating facilities who met the inclusion criteria.Main Research VariablesHospice and hospital oncology unit nurses' knowledge and attitudes about basic pharmacologic cancer pain management.FindingsHospice nurses scored significantly higher than hospital oncology unit nurses regarding overall pain management knowledge, opioids, scheduling, and liberalness. Hospice nurses also reported more pain education and a higher frequency of pain guideline review requirements than hospital oncology unit nurses.ConclusionsThe most prevalent knowledge deficits concerned opioids. Practice setting and pain education may influence knowledge, as well as attitudes, about pain.Implications For Nursing PracticeFurther research is needed regarding nurses' pain management behavior and outcomes of pain management education in various settings.

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