Nursing standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987)
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Fever is the raising of body temperature above the normal daily variation. In practice, this is -38°C (rectal or tympanic),37.5°C (oral) or 37.2°C (axillary). It is part of a systemic inflammatory response by the immune system to infection.
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Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a neuropathic pain condition occurring after amputation of a limb. PLP affects amputees' quality of life and results in loss of productivity and psychological distress. The origin of pain from a non-existing limb creates a challenging situation for both patients and nurses. ⋯ This knowledge will lead to reduced problems for patients by allowing them to talk about PLP and ask for help when needed. Understanding of this phenomenon will enable nurses to appreciate the unique features of this form of neuropathic pain and apply appropriate techniques to promote effective pain management. Performing accurate and frequent assessments to understand the unique characteristics of PLP, displaying a non-judgemental attitude towards patients and teaching throughout the peri-operative process are significant nursing interventions.