Clinical journal of oncology nursing
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Review Case Reports
The use of ketamine as adjuvant therapy to control severe pain.
Ketamine used in conjunction with other analgesics has dissociative, analgesic, sedative, and amnesic properties. Ketamine potentiates opiates and analgesics, is rapid acting, and is relatively safe. The United Kingdom and United States use ketamine with opioids in adjuvant pain management for a variety of conditions, including cancer pain. ⋯ Patients have better mobility and quality of life when receiving ketamine as an adjuvant therapy, which promotes assistance with their nursing care. Side effects may occur from administering ketamine and include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and emotional distress. Standard orders help alleviate problems with those symptoms.
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Review Case Reports
Measuring patient-oriented outcomes in palliative care: functionality and quality of life.
Outcomes measurement is necessary to evaluate quality of care, increase knowledge about experiences with cancer and therapies, and determine the effectiveness of interventions directed toward improving symptoms and quality of life (QOL) in research and clinical care. Recent attention on outcomes measurement and research in palliative care settings has emphasized the need to incorporate patient-reported outcomes. ⋯ Therefore, oncology nurses must be informed about outcome-measurement issues, including ways to select reliable and valid instruments and determine which ones are appropriate for palliative care populations. Content related to the measurement of patient-oriented outcomes is presented to assist nurses in developing outcomes programs in palliative care settings.