ABSTRACT
This article explores the management of skeletal pin sites focusing on the research that underpins current practice. The effectiveness of pin site care depends on assessment and delivery of appropriate care. Because pin site management varies greatly between clinical areas, it is important that clinicians are aware of the evidence base on which their current practice is founded.
Subject(s)
Bone Nails , Evidence-Based Medicine , Bone Nails/adverse effects , HumansABSTRACT
The aim of this literature review is to examine the relationship between the provision of written information given to patients' preoperatively and their postoperative recovery following elective surgery. It is not currently apparent which is the most effective method of delivering preoperative information, or at what stage of the preoperative phase is the optimum time to deliver such important information. The purpose of this review is to briefly outline the affiliation between anxiety experienced by surgical patients and the information received preoperatively and to examine the relationship between the provision of written information given to patients preoperatively and their postoperative recovery following elective surgery. Research findings are contradictory with respect to the effect of preoperative information on postoperative pain and patient satisfaction. However, research does indicate that the provision of good-quality preoperative information facilitates patients' active involvement in their care, and therefore may contribute to an overall increase in satisfaction. There remains a need for rigorous research that identifies the optimum timing and method of delivering preoperative information to maximize their positive effects on patients undergoing elective surgery.
Subject(s)
Nursing Evaluation Research , Patient Education as Topic/organization & administration , Patient Satisfaction , Preoperative Care , Anxiety/prevention & control , Anxiety/psychology , Communication , Consensus , Health Services Needs and Demand , Humans , Nurse-Patient Relations , Nursing Evaluation Research/organization & administration , Pain, Postoperative/prevention & control , Pain, Postoperative/psychology , Perioperative Nursing/organization & administration , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Preoperative Care/nursing , Preoperative Care/psychology , Research Design , Surveys and Questionnaires , Teaching Materials , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Pain is generally accepted to be an unpleasant sensory experience that can affect patients' quality of life if not addressed adequately. Pain assessment is a key aspect in the nursing management and delivery of care within the clinical environment. Effective pain management is thus reliant on a comprehensive assessment of the patient and his/her pain. It is though the assessment process that the skilled nurse utilizes many aspects of knowledge including that of the underlying pathophysiology, pharmacological knowledge of the drugs available for use, and knowledge of the patient being assessed. The use of these varying types of knowledge is essential when caring for a variety of patients. To ensure pain assessment is based on sound judgement, effective nurses will utilize their knowledge acquired through different sources, including any relevant theories or research, and their understanding of the philosophical dimensions of pain and its treatment. The ideology behind effective pain assessment and pain management is to achieve a pain-free status whenever possible. Although this sets the nurse a very difficult challenge, the aim is to ensure that the patient achieves the best possible treatment.
Subject(s)
Clinical Competence , Nursing Theory , Pain Measurement/nursing , Philosophy, Nursing , HumansABSTRACT
This article aims to provide a greater understanding of the process involved in diagnosing cancer, particularly that associated with spinal metastasis. The article focuses on the diagnosis of secondary cancer of the spine, however, the information and discussion might also be relevant to other anatomical areas.
Subject(s)
Spinal Neoplasms/nursing , Spinal Neoplasms/secondary , Diagnostic Imaging , Humans , Nurse-Patient Relations , Spinal Cord Compression/etiology , Spinal Neoplasms/complications , Spinal Neoplasms/pathologyABSTRACT
Emotional and psychological surgical preparation plays an important role in many areas of nursing. However, it varies greatly in terms of its perception and delivery. The aim of this article is to familiarize the reader with the concept of emotional and psychological preparation for surgery and to explain how this may be achieved in nursing practice. It highlights that gender, age, and previous experiences are predisposing factors to preoperative anxiety, as is fear of the unknown and fear of harm. It is recommended that information should be given verbally with written supplements and that the patient should be encouraged to ask questions. Diversion therapy such as music, humour and guided imagery have been shown to be effective in reducing patients' preoperative anxiety.
