Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects
Title
A Project to Improve Nurses’ Knowledge of, and Attitudes Towards, Pain Management at End of Life
Access Control
Campus Access
Embargo Period
4-30-2016
Degree Program
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Degree Track
Family Nurse Practioner
Year Degree Awarded
2016
Month Degree Awarded
May
Keywords
end of life care, opioids, knowledge and attitudes, barriers, misconceptions
Advisor
Elizabeth A. Henneman
DNP Project Chair
Elizabeth A. Henneman
DNP Project Member Name
Gabrielle P. Abelard
Abstract
Background: Symptom management is essential to the quality of palliative care. The goal of palliative care is to have interventions in place to ensure that the patient is safe and comfortable throughout the disease process and will experience a peaceful death. Providing adequate pain management requires the use of evidence-based interventions to provide pain relief and avoid unnecessary suffering at end of life. Purpose: The purpose of this capstone project was to provide an educational nursing program that addressed misconceptions about opioid use and in the long term, to improve the assessment and treatment of pain for patients at the end of life. Conclusion: The use of an educational intervention aimed at addressing the barriers to adequate pain management was shown to increase nurses’ knowledge, attitude, and skill when assessing for pain and when administering opioids for pain management. Clinical Implications: Clinicians have a responsibility to provide appropriate pain management and to seek education and training necessary to achieve this goal.
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