Nihon Ronen Igakkai zasshi. Japanese journal of geriatrics
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Nihon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi · Jan 2012
[Investigation of pain assessment trends among residents in Japanese long-term care facilities].
Pain management is vital for both the maintenance and improvement of the quality of life of residents, in Japanese long-term care facilities. However, few studies examining pain assessment in older populations have been published. The purpose of this study is to investigate the actual conditions related to pain assessment of residents by nurses in Japanese long-term care facilities. Included in this investigation are the actual frequency of pain assessments, the nurses own perceptions of the pain assessment of their residents, whether or not nurses have undertaken any training related to pain assessment, and the need for a pain assessment training period. ⋯ The results indicate that over 70% of nurses lack the confidence to suitably assess their residents' pain. In addition, the number of residents who cannot self-report their pain because of cognitive impairment is increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new approaches which provide nurses with sufficient knowledge and confidence to conduct appropriate pain assessments on their residents.
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Nihon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi · Jan 2011
Case Reports[A case of obturator hernia with overlooked Howship-Romberg sign and treated as sciatica].
We report a case of a patient with incarcerated obturator hernia who presented with right thigh pain. An 88-year-old woman who had experienced right thigh pain for the previous 3 years was given a diagnosis of sciatica at the orthopedic department. In July 2009, she was hospitalized with the chief complaint of appetite loss. ⋯ Laparotomy showed that the ileal part located about 15 cm from the terminal ileum was incarcerated in the right foramen obturatum; therefore, ileal resection and end-to-end anastomosis were performed. After the operation, her intestinal obstruction symptoms and right pain disappeared. If right pain and ileus symptoms of unknown cause occur in elderly persons, obturator hernia should be considered.
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Nihon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi · Jan 2011
[End-of-life care in a special elderly nursing home characteristics of patients who died in nursing home facilities and current status of end-of-life decision-making].
We investigated the characteristics of people who died in a special elderly nursing home and the current status of end-of-life decision-making. ⋯ The people who died in special elderly nursing homes had a higher age, fewer hospitalizations, and had been involved in more conferences regarding terminal care. However, it was very hard to confirm individual intentions regarding terminal care periods. Further studies will be necessary to determine what kind of terminal care is needed in special elderly nursing homes when it is difficult to confirm individual or family intention regarding the terminal period.