Journal of pain and symptom management
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Observer-based sedation scales have been used to provide a measurable estimate of the comfort of nonalert patients in palliative sedation. However, their usefulness and appropriateness in this setting has not been demonstrated. ⋯ The RASS and KNMG scales stand as the most reliable and valid among the evaluated scales. In addition, the RASS was less time consuming, clearer, and easier to use than the MSAT and VICS. Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of the scales on better symptom control and patient comfort.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2012
An exploratory study to clarify the cluster of symptoms predictive of chemotherapy-related nausea using random forest modeling.
Chemotherapy-related nausea is experienced by most cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Although vomiting is managed well with current antiemetics, nausea is difficult to manage and little is understood about its development. ⋯ This exploratory study, using an innovative analytical approach, has shown that nausea is a complex symptom affected by the presence and/or severity of other concurrent symptoms (the symptom cluster). The findings have implications for the measurement of nausea and also to target people for interventions to manage nausea and its cluster of symptoms.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2012
Enhancing cancer patient well-being with a nonpharmacological, heritage-focused intervention.
Nonpharmacological, arts-focused interventions in health care have demonstrated considerable improvements in cancer patient well-being, although there is a little clinically robust, empirical evidence to demonstrate the value of heritage-focused practices. ⋯ Findings indicate a future role for heritage-focused practices in enhancing health care environments.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Nov 2012
Biography Historical ArticleThis chronic patient becomes a humanistic patient who helps clinicians.
A historian of aging, privileged to work with an interdisciplinary team of caregivers and researchers in a division of geriatric and palliative care of a major medical school and teaching hospital, discovers that his history of chronic illnesses secures him a useful role as a humanistic patient who helps clinicians to respond to the concerns, fears, and needs of aging Boomers.