Nursing & health sciences
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Nursing & health sciences · Mar 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialGender differences in pain modulation by a sweet stimulus in adults: A randomized study.
This study aimed to examine whether or not there are gender differences in sweet stimulus-induced analgesia for cold pain in adults. In a randomized cross-over design, twenty men and 20 women held either a 24% sucrose solution or distilled water in their mouth before and while they immersed their hand in cold water and their pain response was examined. ⋯ The findings reveal that the analgesic effect of a sweet stimulus on the pain threshold is influenced by gender differences in human adults, indicating that sweet stimulus-induced analgesia has a brief analgesic effect, particularly for men. Although more research is warranted, the sweet stimulus could be put to practical application as an adjunct to acute pain management for men.
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Nursing & health sciences · Mar 2011
ReviewThe Joanna Briggs Institute Best Practice Information Sheet: music as an intervention in hospitals.
This Best Practice Information Sheet aims to synthesize the best-available evidence on music as a therapeutic intervention for the management of anxiety or pain related to procedural or operative interventions. The information that is contained in this sheet has been derived from studies that were included in a systematic review that was conducted by The Joanna Briggs Institute. The original references can be sourced from the systematic review. ⋯ The Best Practice Information Sheet includes music-listening before a procedure or operation, during a procedure or operation, and after a procedure or operation. It excludes other forms of music therapy. Several recommendations for practice are made.
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Nursing & health sciences · Mar 2011
Case ReportsMaternal mortality in Australia: learning from maternal cardiac arrest.
Cardiac arrest in pregnancy is fortunately a rare event that few midwives will see during their career. The increase in maternal age, the Body Mass Index, cesarean sections, multiple pregnancies, and comorbidities over recent years have increased the probability of cardiac arrest. The early warning signs of impending maternal cardiac arrest are either absent or go unrecognized. ⋯ The outcome is dependent on the speed of the response and the consideration of a number of crucial pregnancy-specific interventions. Staff members need to be adequately trained in order to deal with maternal cardiac arrest and have access to training packages and in-service education programs. As cardiac arrest in pregnancy is a rare event, emergency drill simulations are an important component of ongoing education.