A comparative study of the attitudes of physicians and nurses toward the management of cancer pain

Although the effective management of cancer pain depends on adequate collaboration and cooperation of the physician and the nurse, little research has been done comparing the attitudes of the two groups. This study investigated the attitudes of physicians and nurses toward cancer pain and its treatment with respect to three domains: (a) the management of cancer pain as a health-care issue; (b) the potential problems of addiction and drug misuse; and (c) the involvement of patients in the management of their own pain. A questionnaire was mailed to a randomly selected sample of individuals registered with the Health Professions Bureau of Indiana. It was completed by 500 physicians and 471 nurses. Specific differences that were found are discussed, along with the implications of these differences for the management of cancer pain and the education of professionals.