Development of an interactive workshop to improve nurse management of paediatric cancer pain

Background and purpose: Poorly managed pain may cause unnecessary suffering for children with cancer and their families. To effectively manage paediatric cancer pain, nurses must understand the ways in which suffering impacts quality of life for children and families. The purpose of this practicum was to develop an interactive, education workshop to improve pain communication and management by paediatric oncology nurses. An interactive, evidence-informed workshop based upon relational inquiry (Hartrick Doane & Varcoe, 2015) was developed to offer nurses insight into child and family perspectives of the pain experience and effective nursing actions to reduce suffering. Methods: Two methods were used in the development of this workshop. A literature review was conducted on paediatric cancer pain and consultations with key stakeholders identified local issues influencing the quality of pain management by nurses. Results: Key findings were assimilated to guide the development of the one-day education workshop. First, cancer pain is a multidimensional experience with emotional, physical, and spiritual components. Second, a relational approach to cancer pain assessment requires nurses to inquire about the nature and meaning of pain, its impact on quality of life, and strategies children and families find useful to alleviate suffering. Third, effective and timely communication between children, families, and the oncology team could improve the quality of pain care delivered. Conclusion: An interactive workshop using Hartrick Doane and Varcoe's (2015) relational inquiry approach could improve nurses' pain communication and guide holistic interventions to alleviate suffering for children with cancer and their families