Knowledge and Attitudes of Nurses Working at King Abdulaziz University Hospital toward Cancer Pain Management

Objective: This survey aims to identify the levels of knowledge and attitudes among nurses regarding cancer pain management. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was undertaken at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, between September 4 and September 27, 2015. The survey instrument was a pre-set questionnaire comprising 39 closed-ended format questions. Participants were asked questions to assess their knowledge and attitudes about cancer pain management and adherence to frequent misconceptions regarding opioid therapy. The chi-square test was used to compare differences between variables. Results: One hundred twenty-eight questionnaires were completed and analyzed. A mean sample score of 41.3% was achieved on pain-related knowledge questions. The average score on all 39 questions was 16.1 ± 4.6 (range, 0 24). Nurses on the male medical ward were most knowledgeable compared with those on other wards (p < 0.001). They were also most likely to score highest on questions that assessed knowledge of pain management (p < 0.001). Conversely, nurses on the female surgical ward were most likely to score highest on issues related to pain assessment (p < 0.001) and experience in managing breakthrough cancer pain (p < 0.001). Likewise, nurses on the male surgical and female medical wards appeared to be more knowledgeable on issues related to patient compliance (p = 0.002). Conclusion: Optimization of inpatient supportive procedures should be a specific task at King Abdulaziz University Hospital until an oncology unit with nurses specialized in cancer care is established.