Journal of wound, ostomy, and continence nursing : official publication of The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society
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J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs · Mar 2002
Interstitial cystitis: a guide to recognition, evaluation, and management for nurse practitioners.
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic disorder of unknown etiology that affects the lower urinary tract of up to 500,000 women and men in the United States. It is characterized by bladder and pelvic pain that varies from moderate discomfort to severe, debilitating pain and related lower urinary tract symptoms including nocturia, diurnal urinary frequency, and urgency. ⋯ This article discusses the clinical manifestations of IC, including its differentiation from acute or recurring bacterial cystitis. Options for managing this significant and often debilitating voiding dysfunction are also discussed.
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WOC nurses may be asked to manage small burn wounds or to follow up with patients who have residual wound care issues after recovering from a major burn injury. Aspects of care include identifying patients who warrant a higher level of burn care expertise, managing small wounds, recognizing the common complications of burns, and determining the needs of patients undergoing burn rehabilitation. ⋯ In addition, depending on the setting, extent, and nature of the wounds, the patient's abilities and rehabilitation requirements will need to be determined. The patient and his or her family need to be educated about the normal changes that follow a burn injury and how to manage these issues.
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J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs · Nov 2001
Comparative StudyPain measurement scales: a comparison of the visual analogue and faces rating scales in measuring pressure ulcer pain.
Although different pain scales often have been used interchangeably, it is not known whether interchanging them is appropriate. The purpose of this report was twofold: to better understand the statistical properties of the Faces Rating Scale (FRS) so it can be used appropriately in clinical settings and to describe the mathematical relationship between the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the FRS when they are used to quantify pressure ulcer pain in hospitalized elderly patients. ⋯ The nonlinear relationship indicated high reliability between VAS and FRS for pain assessment in populations with diminished verbal and abstract thinking abilities. For readers who would like to translate results from one scale to another, a quadratic equation is provided.
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J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs · Nov 2001
Subscales, subscores, or summative score: evaluating the contribution of Braden Scale items for predicting pressure ulcer risk in older adults receiving home health care.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether certain Braden subscales or subscores were more important than others or the summative score in predicting stage I to IV pressure ulcers among older adults receiving home health care. ⋯ When the Braden Scale was used, the summative score rather than any subscale or subscore best predicted pressure ulcer risk among the older adults receiving home health care.