Journal of clinical nursing
-
Despite advances in pain control many patients experience moderate to severe pain whilst in hospital. Contributory factors include inadequate assessment and documentation of pain, as well as patient and professional misconceptions. A 28-bedded surgical ward in a District General Hospital in the South of England was the setting for the project. ⋯ Such an approach brings practitioner and patient into meaningful understanding and offers solutions which are realistic, achievable and sustainable over time. Despite finite resources and increased pressure on staff it is possible to motivate people when they feel they have ownership and change is meaningful. Continuous improvement methods offer an exciting, feasible, patient-centred approach to improving care.
-
Previous research in a retrospective community-based study suggested that some relatives had difficulty coping with their bereavement when the pre-bereavement period had not been managed well. This prospective study in a hospital setting explored the issues further to include the views and needs of staff as well as relatives. ⋯ Findings demonstrated that staff often felt ill-equipped for providing support for relatives when a patient is dying. Training is required to help nurses support and care for the relatives of dying patients.