Juggling performance checklist.

Teaching psychomotor skills to nurses presents challenges to nurse preceptors. The Juggling Performance Checklist, used by The Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, presents a humorous way of teaching nurses how to teach psychomotor skills. Humor can have both a physical and psychological benefit. Please note the directions on the performance checklist--washing your hands is optional; having fun is not!

Pain management in the orthopedic patient.

Pain is a familiar phenomenon to all orthopedic nurses. As Dunwoody said, "Few things we do for patients are more fundamental to the quality of life than relieving pain." We as orthopedic nurses are in a position to contribute to the positive management of pain by using a comprehensive approach to pain management that involves the participation of the patient. We need to believe the patient's pain, try new approaches, and help our patients achieve pain relief.