Pain
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This article reports on a study that examines the influence of task-related factors on nurses' pain assessments and decision regarding interventions. In an experimental design pediatric nurses (n = 202), were exposed to different cases, each case being a combination of a vignette and a videotape. ⋯ The results indicated that pediatric nurses attributed more pain and were more inclined to administer non-narcotic analgesics to children who vocally expressed their pain than to children who were less expressive. Furthermore, the interaction results between the child's expression and the medical diagnosis revealed a trend indicating that nurses attributed the most pain to the child when the diagnosis was severe and the child vocally expressed his pain.
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This study examined the responses of cultured adult human dorsal root ganglion (hDRG) neurons to protons and capsaicin, two substances known to produce pain and hyperalgesia in humans. Both substances were applied to each neuron and responses were examined under both voltage- and current-clamp recording conditions. Sensitivity to protons was tested with rapid acidification of the extracellular fluid from pH 7.35 to 6.0. ⋯ The depolarization resulted in the discharge of action potentials in 14 neurons. It is concluded that, while both protons and capsaicin exert excitatory effects on human sensory neurons, multiple membrane mechanisms lead to the depolarization of cultured hDRG neurons by low pH. Inhibition of resting membrane conductances contributes to the responses to low pH in some hDRG neurons.