Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses
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Nystagmus is a broad symptom describing unusual ocular movements. The peri-anesthesia nurse may identify nystagmus as a preoperative condition, as an event during recovery from general anesthesia, or as a pathological finding. Understanding the physiology of nystagmus provides a basis for nursing assessment and intervention.
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J. Perianesth. Nurs. · Feb 2000
Separation and induction behaviors in children: are parents good predictors?
In busy surgical outpatient settings, it is important to quickly yet thoroughly assess a child's preoperative needs to determine whether a premedication or perhaps a parent's presence is warranted to facilitate a smooth anesthetic induction. This observational study of 252 children evaluated factors related to separation and induction behaviors of children. ⋯ Logistic regression showed that parent prediction was the best indicator of separation behavior, whereas younger age and separation behavior were both predictive of induction behavior. Findings suggest that parents are good predictors of their child's preoperative behaviors and may, therefore, provide valuable input when perioperative nurses and anesthesiologists are making decisions about potential preoperative interventions.
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J. Perianesth. Nurs. · Dec 1999
Jordanian nurses' roles in the management of postoperative pain in the postanesthesia care unit.
One of the most important patient care issues for nurses is pain because of its significant impact on patients' well-being. Therefore, the main purpose of this exploratory study was to describe the role of Jordanian nurses in the management of postoperative pain in the PACU. A convenience sample of 42 postoperative patients was included in this study. ⋯ Findings from this study indicated that nurses in Jordan pay little attention to the area of assessment and management of postoperative pain. Cultural issues were discussed in light of the perception of pain and management of postoperative pain among Jordanian patients. Recommendations related to nursing practice, education, and research were developed to improve the quality of nursing care provided to postoperative patients in Jordan.
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J. Perianesth. Nurs. · Dec 1999
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThe effect of paracetamol, fentanyl, and systematic assessments on children's pain after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.
Various clinical protocols are used to manage early postoperative tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy (T&A) pain in children. Although believed to be effective, these protocols are not evidenced-based. Therefore, a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled (2 x 2) factorial design was used (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of 2 pain protocols used interchangeably to manage early postoperative T&A pain and (2) to investigate whether nurses' systematic pain assessments improve pain management. ⋯ The child's pain was measured using observation scales (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale and Face Legs Activity Cry Consolability Scale), a visual analogue scale, and self-report measures (Faces Pain Scale and Oucher). Neither pain protocol sufficiently relieved early postoperative T&A pain, and systemic pain assessments did not improve the effectiveness of analgesics. Further research evaluating the effectiveness of pain management protocols is needed.
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Assessment and management of pain are among the skills that perianesthesia nurses need to deliver safe and effective care. The principles of pain management remain fairly consistent across all age groups. However, managing the pain of elderly surgical patients presents unique challenges. ⋯ Consequently, during the perioperative period, the nurse must manage both the patient's chronic and acute pain. As a group, the elderly are more vulnerable to inadequate pain assessment and treatment and are more likely to have serious side effects of analgesic therapy. Therefore, this report highlights the unique aspects of pain management in elderly patients.