Development and Preliminary Evaluation of a Pain Management Manual for Hospice Providers to Support and Educate Family Caregivers.
Nai-Ching Chi, Soojeong Han, Emelia Barani and 5 others
PMID 30304938WHAT IT FOUND
Hospice providers reviewed a new pain management manual and found its scenarios realistic.
They reported the included questions and strategies helped them address caregivers' fears about medication and communication barriers. The manual was seen as a useful guide for home visits, but its impact on patient outcomes was not tested.
Key findings
01All providers characterized the scenarios as realistic because they encountered similar situations in their practice.
02All participants agreed that the assessment questions and strategies were effective in supporting caregivers in pain management.
03All providers believed that the manual could be a guidebook and an accessible resource to assess caregivers’ needs related to pain management.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study involved a small, homogeneous sample of providers from two geographic areas, limiting generalizability. Caregivers themselves were not included in the evaluation of the manual. Some interview questions were not open-ended, which may have limited the depth of feedback. The manual's effectiveness in improving actual patient pain outcomes was not tested.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this manual improves patient pain outcomes or caregiver confidence. The study only reports providers' opinions that the tool is useful and realistic. It is a preliminary evaluation of a resource, not evidence of clinical efficacy.