International journal of nursing practice
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Alleviating acute pain and providing pain relief are central to caring for surgical patients as pain can lead to many adverse medical consequences. This study aimed to explore patients' experience of pain and satisfaction with postoperative pain control. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 107 respondents who had undergone abdominal surgery in the surgical ward of an urban hospital using the Revised American Pain Society's Patient Outcome and Satisfaction Survey Questionnaires (APS-POQ-R). ⋯ Further analysis on nominal regression, association between dissatisfaction with factors of operation status (46.09 (95% CI 7.456, 284.947)) and previous operation status (13.38 (95% CI 1.39, 128.74)) was found to be significant. Moderate to high levels of pain intensity in the last 24 h after surgery, as well as moderate to high rates of pain-related interference with care activities were most reported. Pain still remains an issue among surgical patients, and effective pain management and health education are needed to manage pain more effectively after surgery.
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The aim of this study is to examine the acceptability and effectiveness of a nurse-led hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance clinic in high-risk patients with cirrhosis/advanced fibrosis. Early detection of HCC is associated with better treatment outcomes and improved survival. International guidelines recommend 6-monthly surveillance of patients at risk of developing HCC. ⋯ Nurse-led HCC surveillance was an effective method of monitoring patients with cirrhosis at high risk of developing HCC. Well-defined protocols enable timely identification of patients with HCC or hepatic decompensation so that management strategies can be implemented without delay. The potential benefits identified by this study warrant further, rigorous evaluation.