Evaluation of the Decision Support Computer Program for Cancer Pain Management

Purpose/Objectives: To evaluate a decision support computer program (DSCP) for cancer pain management.

Design: An Internet intervention study to evaluate the usage profile, accuracy, and acceptance of the DSCP.

Setting: Internet and community settings.

Sample: 122 nurses working with patients with cancer were recruited through the Internet through a convenience sampling method.

Methods: The instruments included tools for registration and for evaluation of the DSCP. To evaluate the DSCP, the usage profile was measured by counting the total number of cases in which the participants used the DSCP; accuracy was measured by determining whether the decision support from the DSCP was appropriate and accurate; and acceptance was measured using the Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction.

Main Research Variables: Usage profile, accuracy, and acceptance of the DSCP.

Findings: Participants used the DSCP an average of 1.49 times per person (SD = 1.16). Eighty-eight percent of the participants evaluated the DSCP as appropriate and accurate. The mean scores of overall satisfaction in four major areas of the computer program ranged from 7.46-9.69.

Conclusions: The DSCP could provide accurate and acceptable computerized evidence-based practice guidelines for cancer pain management.

Implications for Nursing: The findings suggest that researchers should develop decision support systems in multiple aspects and dimensions of cancer pain experience and that hand-held devices would increase the usability of the DSCP.