Nai-Ching Chi, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor

Donor: Woodrow W. Morris Gerontology Research Grant

Project: Development of Family Caregivers’ Barriers to Pain Management Screening Questions and Revision of the Educational Material in the Caregiver Pain Management Manual

Funding Year: 2017 - 2018

Project Description:

• Background: Over the last two decades, the number of patients enrolled in hospice services increased by 300%. In 2016, about 60% of hospice patients received care at home. Family caregivers are asked to perform professional pain management for patients at home: pain assessment, delivering pain treatments, evaluating treatment effects, administrating as-needed (PRN) pain medications, and reporting pain management to care team. Due to a lack of adequate training, family caregivers encounter various barriers to pain management. However, there is a lack of clinically applicable resources for nurses to assess family caregivers’ barriers to pain management and adequately prepare family caregivers for pain management.
• Objectives: The objectives of this project are (1) to develop a list of screening questions that can be used to assess family caregivers’ barriers to pain management; (2) to update a previously developed pain management manual that aims to help hospice providers to educate family caregivers in pain management.
• Population: Hospice nurses and family caregivers of patients enrolled in hospice programs.
• Approach:  An integrative review of studies is conducted to comprehensively identify family caregivers’ barriers to pain management. The results are used to develop a list of screening questions. Additionally, a critical review of existing pain management interventions for family caregivers is conducted. The results are used to update the previously developed pain management manual.
• Targeted Outcomes: To complete the development of a list of screening questions and revision of the pain management manual.

For more information, contact Dr. Chi.