title: Oncology Nursing Certification: Relation to Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes About Pain, Patient-Reported Pain Care Quality, and Pain Outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To (a) compare pain knowledge and attitudes between nurses with oncology certified nurse (OCN®) status, non-OCN®-certified nurses, and nurses ineligible for certification and (b) examine the relationships among OCN® status, nurses' knowledge and attitudes about pain, patient-reported quality of nursing pain care, and pain outcomes.  .
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, correlational survey design. Patients were nested within nurses.  .
  
  
  METHODS
  Six inpatient oncology units in three hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  91 nurses in three states (28 OCN®-certified nurses, 37 noncertified nurses, and 26 not eligible for certification). Certification status was validated for 105 nurses who were matched with a sample of 320 patients.  .
  
  
  METHODS
  Nurses completed a survey, and matched adult patients who were experiencing pain rated their pain care quality and pain experience during the past shift.  .
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic characteristics, certification status, and responses to the Nurse Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (NKASRP), Pain Care Quality Survey-Nursing, and modified Brief Pain Inventory (Short Form).  .
  
  
  RESULTS
  OCN®-certified nurses scored significantly higher on the NKASRP (82% correct) compared to non-OCN® eligible nurses (76%) and non-OCN® ineligible nurses (74%) (p < 0.001). Only 43% overall achieved a benchmark of 80% correct. No statistically significant relationships existed between (a) certification status and pain care quality or pain outcomes or (b) NKASRP and care quality or outcomes (p > 0.05). .
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OCN®-certified nurses' knowledge and attitudes related to pain management were superior to noncertified nurses. Neither knowledge and attitudes nor OCN® status were associated with pain care quality or pain outcomes.  .
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge is necessary but insufficient to improve patient outcomes; providing optimal pain care requires action. Sustained efforts to improve cancer pain management are indicated.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Jeannine M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brant
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center of Acadiana.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Donohue
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
authors.forename: Ellen M Lavoie
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: University of Utah.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Towsley
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health and Science University.
authors.forename: Patricia H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: University of Utah.
authors.forename: Jia-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: University of Utah.
authors.forename: Sharifa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Qaaydeh
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
authors.forename: Marjorie A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pett
authors.affiliation: University of Utah.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donaldson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002568:Certification; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D059408:Pain Management / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: nurse certification; oncology; oncology nurses; outcomes; pain; pain attitudes and knowledge; pain care quality