International journal of nursing studies
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison study of upper arm and forearm non-invasive blood pressures in adult Emergency Department patients.
Forearm blood pressures have been suggested as an alternative site to measure blood pressures when the upper arm is unavailable. However there is little evidence utilising clinical populations to support this substitution. ⋯ Forearm measures cannot routinely replace upper arm measures for blood pressure measurement. If the clinical picture requires use of forearm blood pressure, the potential variance from an upper arm measure is ±19 mmHg for systolic pressure, although the variability may be close to ±10 mmHg if the systolic blood pressure is below 140 mmHg.
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Several pain scales are available for neonates, but, unfortunately they are only rarely used in clinical practice. To help with the current situation of unrecognized and under-treated pain in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), we developed an assessment tool in close collaboration with clinical staff. ⋯ The NIAPAS was shown to be a valid and reliable scale for assessing acute pain in preterm and full-term infants in the NICU. It allows nurses to evaluate infants' acute pain especially during painful procedures and help to provide pain relief for the infants.