The impact of nurse education and training on palliative pain management outcomes in radiotherapy patients.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related pain remains a pervasive challenge, significantly impacting the quality of life for patients undergoing radiotherapy. Despite advancements in treatment, effective pain management continues to be a critical unmet need in oncology care. AIM: of study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational program about palliative pain management on nursing care quality for patients undergoing radiotherapy. METHODS: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized in the current study (one group, pre and post-test). This study was conducted at the oncology department and radiotherapy outpatient clinic in Port Said City - Egypt. 153 patients and 69 staff nurse were selected according to some inclusion criteria to collect data of this study. Data was collected through knowledge and attitude and practice regarding pain questionnaire which used to evaluate nurses’ competencies about pain management. The second tool was quality of oncology nursing care scale which used to measure patient satisfaction regarding quality of provided care. RESULTS: The results revealed statistically significant improvements in patients’ scores regarding the quality of care and nurses’ competencies before and after pain management educational intervention in all quality-of-care dimensions. The study’s findings provide compelling evidence of the positive impact of educational interventions on the quality of nursing care for radiotherapy patients. CONCLUSION: These findings collectively concludes that enhancing nurses’ pain management competencies through targeted education not only improves their clinical performance but also elevates patient-centered care, particularly in fostering dignity, emotional support, and holistic well-being, underscoring the intervention’s value in palliative and potentially other nursing specialties. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.