Journal of advanced nursing
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The aim of this paper is to report a study exploring patients' understanding of their discussions about end-of-life care with nurses in a palliative care setting. ⋯ Palliative care patients often adopt passive roles and tend not to engage in important decision-making, for various reasons. Professionals need to be made aware of this, and should facilitate an open, trusting relationship with patients in order to ensure that important information passes freely in both directions. Professionals should learn to prioritize patient participation and negotiation in their work. With further research, it should be possible to identify the factors that will allow patients to take a more pro-active role in making decisions about their care, where desired.
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This paper describes the current infection control practices for CVC care and compares these to evidence-based practice guidelines. ⋯ There is variation in the infection control approach to CVC care. Greater adherence to existing Centers for Disease Control Guidelines would assist in the standardization of best practice and facilitate evidence-based care.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effects of acupressure at the Sanyinjiao point on primary dysmenorrhoea.
This paper presents the findings of a study that assessed the effects of acupressure at the Sanyinjiao point on symptoms of primary dysmenorrhoea among adolescent girls. ⋯ The findings suggest that acupressure at Sanyinjiao can be an effective, cost-free intervention for reducing pain and anxiety during dysmenorrhoea, and we recommend its use for self-care of primary dysmenorrhoea.
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This paper describes the experience of being diagnosed with skin cancer from the perspective of patients. ⋯ Patients with skin cancer should not be conceived as a homogeneous group, but one in which there are a number of diagnoses which differ in prognosis, and so may result in a variety of different consequences and thus experiences for patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Systematic relaxation to relieve postoperative pain.
Unrelieved pain after surgery can lead to complications, prolonged hospital stay, and delayed recovery. Because of side effects from opioids and differences in response, it is important to use non-pharmacological methods in addition to analgesics to decrease patient discomfort and anxiety. ⋯ Substantial reductions in the sensation and distress of pain were found when postoperative patients used systematic relaxation. Although tested in Thailand, we recommend that nurses in other countries try systematic relaxation with postoperative patients, in addition to analgesic medication, measuring pain scores and asking about cultural acceptance.