Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
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Nurses form an indispensable part of the clinical team that manages postoperative pain (POP). Within a particular clinical context, nurses perceive and respond to pain based on specific factors. This study aimed at illuminating the perceptions and responses of Ghanaian surgical nurses regarding their patients' POP. ⋯ The findings indicated that nurses perceived POP as an individual phenomenon, and nurses responded to patients' pain by administering analgesics and by using nonpharmacologic measures. Factors that influenced the nurses' response were individual factors, such as commitment, discretion, fear of addiction, and organizational factors, such as organizational laxity and challenges of teamwork. The study recommended that nurses should be educated, supported, and encouraged to ensure pain relief after surgery and that they should see pain relief as a priority postoperative care to avert the negative repercussions of poorly managed POP.
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The aim of this study was to determine nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding postoperative pain and identify postoperative patients' pain intensity experiences. The assessment and management of acute postoperative pain is important in the care of postoperative surgical patients. Inadequate relief of postoperative pain can contribute to postoperative complications such as atelectasis, deep vein thrombosis, and delayed wound healing. ⋯ The nurses' mean score on the Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain was 69.3%. Patients experienced moderate pain, as indicated by the score on the SF-MPQ. There is a need to increase nurses' knowledge of pain management.
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Comparative Study
Fibromyalgia's key symptoms in normal-weight, overweight, and obese female patients.
Factors affecting the symptomatology of fibromyalgia (FM) are not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship of weight status with pain, fatigue, and stiffness in Spanish female FM patients, with special focus on the differences between overweight and obese patients. The sample comprised 177 Spanish women with FM (51.3 ± 7.3 years old). ⋯ No significant differences were observed in any of the variables studied between overweight and obese patients. In conclusion, FM symptomatology in obese patients did not differ from overweight patients, whereas normal-weight patients significantly differed from overweight and obese patients in the studied symptoms. These findings suggest that keeping a healthy (normal) weight is not only associated with decreased risk for developing FM but might also be a relevant and useful way of improving FM symptomatology in women.
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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the 6-minute walk test (6-MWT) and tenderness, symptomatology, quality of life, and coping strategies in women with fibromyalgia. One hundred eighteen women with fibromyalgia aged 51.9 ± 7.3 years participated in the study. The examination included the 6-MWT, tender points, and the following questionnaires: Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Short-Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36), and Vanderbilt Pain Management Inventory. ⋯ The 6-MWT showed a weak relationship with bodily pain and vitality scales of SF-36 (ρ 0.256 and 0.258, respectively, both p = .005) and with passive and active coping strategies (ρ -0.255 and 0.223, both p < .05). This study in women with fibromyalgia shows significant relationships, ranging from weak to fair, between the 6-MWT and tenderness, symptomatology, quality of life, and coping strategies. These findings indicate that functional capacity, as assessed by the distance walked in 6 minutes, might be important when planning the assessment, treatment, and monitoring of patients with fibromyalgia.
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The aim of this study was to develop and validate a short form of the Brazilian version of McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ). Three hundred two patients with chronic pain filled out the validated Brazilian long form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (LF-MPQ). Words chosen by ≥25% of the patients were selected to comprise the SF-MPQ. ⋯ The low KR-20 coefficient could result from the small number of items. The Brazilian version of the SF-MPQ proved to be a useful instrument to evaluate the different qualities of pain. It is a reliable option to the long-form MPQ.