Axone (Dartmouth, N.S.)
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Little research is currently available related to pain management by neuroscience nurses. However, due to concerns about the potential for altering neurological status, some neurosurgery patients may not receive optimal pain management. This paper describes findings from a pain related survey which was distributed during the Canadian Association of Neuroscience Nurses June 1998 national conference. ⋯ While 60% of respondents answered four pain assessment and management case study related questions correctly, some respondents rated pain differently when it was expressed by a smiling or grimacing patient. The most common methods for pain control after intracranial surgery included intermittent codeine and/or morphine, often by intramuscular injection. Findings from this study suggest that some neuroscience nurses require further education about pain management and that many patients do not receive optimal pain management after intracranial surgery.
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Axone (Dartmouth, N.S.) · Sep 1997
Case ReportsProtocol for intervention and treatment of alcohol withdrawal.
The incidence of alcohol dependence/abuse in patients of a general health care facility is 35-50%. The diagnosis and treatment of patients experiencing or at risk of alcohol withdrawal is problematic. The admitting diagnosis is usually another medical condition, illness or injury. ⋯ Nurses refer to social work, Alcoholics Anonymous and make use of available resource material. The protocol enables nurses to provide safe and effective care with few associated costs. Except for mass immunization, there is no other single intervention in health care that has the same far reaching consequences (Sullivan, 1995).
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Axone (Dartmouth, N.S.) · Jun 1997
The treatment of chronic pain by epidural spinal cord stimulation--a 15 year follow up; present status.
Pain is necessary for survival but chronic pain is disabling and causes significant health and economic problems. This study provides an understanding of the future for spinal cord stimulation. Stimulation by means of chronically implanted electrodes, was carried out in 200 patients with pain of varied benign organic etiology. ⋯ Pain due to cauda equina injury, paraplegic pain and phantom limb pain responded poorly. Complications included wound infection, displaced or fracture electrode, and fibrosis at the stimulating tip. Spinal cord stimulation has proven to be effective in the treatment of chronic benign pain.