Nursing standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987)
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Managing pain following major abdominal surgery remains a challenge. Traditionally, patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) or epidural analgesia have been used, which have improved post-operative pain and the patient experience, but have presented some problems in recovery. ⋯ While epidurals do have some advantages over PCA, there are risks involved related to catheter insertion and adverse effects, such as hypotension and motor blocks which limit mobility. This article examines rectus sheath catheter infusions, a relatively new and alternative technique to epidural analgesia, and presents some early audit data related to pain scores, analgesic use and mobility.
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The nurse whistleblower who helped expose the Mid Staffs scandal has warned front line staff were still being ignored when trying to raise concerns about poor care, and that major problems remain in the NHS.