British journal of nursing (Mark Allen Publishing)
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Increasingly nurses are called upon to meet patients' spiritual needs. However, there is evidence to suggest that nurses are unable to do this adequately because of confusion about the notion of spirituality. This is compounded by the uncertainty surrounding the role of nurses in spiritual care interventions. ⋯ This article offers practical guidance to nurses seeking to improve spiritual care for their patients. A working definition of spirituality is offered and spiritual needs are explained in the context of a case scenario. Practical guidance is given on how spiritual care can be put into action, using the Actioning Spirituality and Spiritual care in Education Training (ASSET) model as a framework for assessment of spiritual needs, planning, implementing and evaluation spiritual care, and a spiritual assessment tool for practice is outlined.
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Neuropathic pain is suffered by approximately 1% of the UK population and poses a vast socio-economic problem through unemployment and expenditure on medical and social services. It also presents a major therapeutic challenge to healthcare professionals, since it can be difficult to recognize and to treat. With the advent of new and effective medications, the prognosis for patients can be significantly improved by early recognition and aggressive therapy. This article aims to equip nurses with the assessment skills to identify neuropathic pain and a basis from which to expedite pain relief through appropriate intervention and referral within the multidisciplinary team.
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Healthcare professionals have a professional duty to provide patients with accurate information in order to assist in managing their illness. This may be more difficult with an uncommon illness, such as motor neurone disease (MND), as many healthcare professionals may feel poorly informed about the illness themselves. ⋯ There was evidence of active information-seeking about MND among all professional groups. However, while many respondents felt that their knowledge of the disease processes in MND and their own profession's role in the management of the condition was good, 57% of respondents felt that their current level of overall knowledge about MND was inadequate.
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Pain is a commonly reported symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the literature surrounding pain management for people with MS appears limited. ⋯ It suggests that the MS nurse is pivotal in ensuring that patients receive adequate pain control. The MS nurse can coordinate timely assessment, monitor effectiveness and side effects linked with a pain management plan, and provide education and support to patients in order to allow them to take responsibility for their own pain management.