Developing a community program on cancer pain and fatigue

PURPOSE: The overall purpose of this project was to establish a community-b ased educational model on pain and fatigue management for individuals with cancer. The specific aims were: 1) to develop an appropriate educational pr ogram; 2) to pilot test this program in a community setting that supported a self-care approach; and 3) to evaluate the program process and outcomes, DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM: The I Feel Better program was implemented through a two-session educational workshop taught by masters-prepared oncology nurse s and was held at four Southern California sites of The Wellness Community. The focus of the sessions was to provide participants with general informa tion about each symptom, assessment and management of those symptoms, and s trategies for effectively communicating with their healthcare providers. Se ssions of 2.5-hour duration were held on Saturday mornings and required pre registration. RESULTS: The participants were primarily female and White, with an average age of 58 years. Participants reported considerable pain and fatigue. They also lacked accurate information about pain management. Program evaluation revealed that the content and format were well received by the participants . They rated the program as extremely useful and reported positive outcomes after the first session. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: This pilot educational intervention program has stro ng implications for multidisciplinary educational approaches for patients w ith cancer. Limitations resulted from the setting selected and the possibil ity that participants were. already active in their fight against cancer. G eneralization to other community settings may not be as successful, program s could be cosponsored by several collaborating institutions to share resou rces. Referral to community programs by physicians, nurses, and social work ers can occur as needed when identified during patient interventions. The v oluntary participation of health professionals in community education progr ams could provide a valuable service for patients and a rewarding experienc e for educators.