Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
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Pain is a common symptom among older residents of nursing homes and can lead to adverse effects such as a decrease in the activities of daily living and quality of life. Existing literature on the prevalence of pain among older residents of nursing homes was reviewed. Of the studies that were reviewed here, 27 met the criteria of this study, and these were selected for further analysis. ⋯ It was also reported that higher pain intensity led to greater limitations in the activities of daily living. Insufficient use of analgesics for treating residents with pain was often reported, particularly in residents with a low cognitive status. Health professionals should be aware of the serious issues related to pain among nursing home residents and the fundamental right to have pain assessed and treated to the greatest extent possible.
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This study explored the effectiveness of a pain education intervention on Mexican nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward pediatric pain. A convenience sample of 106 registered nurses from three hospitals in Mexico City was recruited. A Pediatric Pain Education Program (PPEP) was developed, implemented, and evaluated by a nurse researcher, clinical nurse specialist, and a child life specialist. ⋯ The intervention was effective in improving Mexican pediatric nurses' knowledge and attitudes. However, it is not known how long this effect was maintained. Health care professionals can share a common vision for pain management by increasing international collaborative efforts and by advancing pediatric pain knowledge.
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Over the past 30 years, postoperative pain relief has been shown to be inadequate. To provide optimal postoperative pain relief, it is imperative for nurses to use evidence-based postoperative pain assessment practices. This correlational descriptive study was conducted to identify factors, termed prior conditions, that influenced nurses' decisions to adopt three evidence-based postoperative pain assessment practices. ⋯ Nurses need to be encouraged to use multiple sources, including professional nursing journals, to identify solutions to clinical practice problems. Innovative nurses may be considered to be opinion leaders and need to be identified to promote the adoption of evidence-based postoperative pain assessment practices. Further exploration of the large unexplained variance in adoption of evidence-based postoperative pain assessment practices is needed.
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Patient-related barriers to reporting pain and using analgesics (e.g., fear of addiction) can detrimentally affect pain management for adolescents with cancer. However, adolescent barriers have not been systematically investigated; furthermore, no instrument exists to measure these barriers. The purposes of this study were to examine the psychometric properties of the newly developed Adolescent Barriers Questionnaire (ABQ) and to describe adolescent barriers to pain management. ⋯ The leading barrier was concern that social activities would be restricted if pain was reported. Clearly, adolescents have barriers that can interfere with pain management. Interventions are needed to identify and help adolescents overcome these barriers.