Opioid rotation in children with cancer.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the therapeutic value of opioid rotation in a large pediatric oncology center. The details for opioid prescriptions, over the course of a year, were obtained from the medical records of children with cancer who had a rotation of opioid during their admission. Twenty-two children or 14% of children on opioid therapy underwent 30 opioid rotations. Mucositis was the cause of pain in 19 (70%) children, bone pain in 3 (11%) children, and postoperative, visceral, or neuropathic pain in the remainder. The opioid was rotated either for excessive side effects with adequate analgesia (70%), excessive side effects with inadequate analgesia (16.7%), or tolerance (6.7%). Five (23%) children required two rotations, 3 during the same admission. The favored rotations were morphine to fentanyl in 20 (67%) children and fentanyl to hydromorphone in 6 (20%). Adverse opioid effects were resolved in 90% of cases, all failures occurred when morphine was rotated to fentanyl. There was no significant loss of pain control or increase in mean morphine equivalent dose requirements. Opioid rotation had a positive impact on managing dose-limiting side effects of, or tolerance to, opioid therapy during cancer pain treatment in children. This was accomplished without loss of pain control or having to significantly increase the dose of opioid therapy.

Hispanic women's experience with "el cambio de vida".

PURPOSE: To examine the factors that influence Hispanic women's decisions to initiate or not initiate hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during menopause to manage symptoms or to prevent longer-term conditions. DATA SOURCES: A descriptive study of 51 Hispanic women who completed the Spanish version of the Menopausal Decision-Making Questionnaire (S-MDMQ) to describe their experience with and perceptions about menopause. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the low-income Hispanic women in this study would elect not to take HRT; however, they do use exercise, diet, vitamins, and other self-care activities to manage symptoms of menopause. Hispanic women were eager to discuss how to manage their health care during perimenopause and menopause with one another and their health care providers. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurse practitioners need to understand factors that might influence Hispanic women's decisions regarding management of menopausal symptoms, including the use of HRT, and to be able to assist women in making an individualized personal treatment choice that is culturally acceptable.

Exploring loss to follow-up: abnormal Pap screening in Hispanic patients.

PURPOSE: The loss of patients to follow-up for abnormal findings from Pap screenings is an important public health concern, particularly among poor and minority women. This study explores factors affecting incomplete follow-up among a group of Hispanic women with low incomes. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted of 11 Hispanic patients with incomplete Pap smear follow-up at a public clinic in a major city in south Texas. Patients were interviewed using a semistructured, open-ended schedule of questions, and their medical records were abstracted. The clinic's five staff members also were interviewed. Comparative chronologies were constructed for each case, contrasting patient and staff accounts of the same set of events. All data were coded by at least two investigators. RESULTS: All study patients had mildly abnormal Pap smear results and had not met the follow-up criteria, but all understood and were committed to Pap screening. Although viewed by staff as noncompliant, none of the patients viewed her behavior this way. This staff-patient discrepancy was attributable to poor communication, mixed messages, clinic errors, and, perhaps most importantly, to a conflict between program policies and the specific circumstances of individual cases. Two case examples are presented to illustrate key points. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Strategies that may help to reduce loss to follow-up among similar patients include the following: allowing clinic staff more flexibility in follow-up procedures for women who have consistently normal follow-up tests, including Spanish translations of written messages; enlisting patients' agreement in setting appointments; and updating patient records to reflect follow-up care that had been received in other clinics.

Developing an economic IQ in primary care.

PURPOSE: To describe elements of an economic intelligence quotient (IQ) that can be used to enhance the nurse practitioner's (NP) fiscal viability in a primary care setting. DATA SOURCES: Anecdotal data from providers and administrators; clinical experiences of the authors; scientific and government publications and guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: In the United States, managed care cost-containment initiatives have led to competition among physicians and NPs for patients and jobs. An understanding of the economic base of a practice is essential to fiscal viability in this market. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: When turf and job competition are the norm, it is essential that the NP develop an economic IQ. Knowledge of coding, billing, reimbursement, and documentation are critical to identifying the NP's value to the practice and promoting job retention. The challenge is for the NP to give high-quality, cost-effective, and safe patient care and to be a productive provider.