Journal of advanced nursing
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Systematic relaxation to relieve postoperative pain.
Unrelieved pain after surgery can lead to complications, prolonged hospital stay, and delayed recovery. Because of side effects from opioids and differences in response, it is important to use non-pharmacological methods in addition to analgesics to decrease patient discomfort and anxiety. ⋯ Substantial reductions in the sensation and distress of pain were found when postoperative patients used systematic relaxation. Although tested in Thailand, we recommend that nurses in other countries try systematic relaxation with postoperative patients, in addition to analgesic medication, measuring pain scores and asking about cultural acceptance.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Preventing hypothermia during continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration: a randomized controlled trial.
Continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration is a common form of dialysis used in intensive care units. Unfortunately, patients often experience hypothermia as a side-effect of the therapy because of the necessity for extracorporeal blood flow. Intensive care nurses aim to prevent hypothermia developing. Intravenous fluid warmers are sometimes added to the dialysis circuit in an attempt to maintain patient temperature. However, the efficacy of this method has not been previously studied. ⋯ Intravenous fluid warmers used as described do not prevent hypothermia during continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration. Female patients and those with a low-normal baseline temperature are most likely to become hypothermic during this form of dialysis. Further research is needed to address effective ways of preventing hypothermia in critically ill patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapies.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Patient-controlled analgesia versus conventional intramuscular injection: a cost effectiveness analysis.
In previous studies comparing patient-controlled-analgesia and intramuscular pain management have been unable to provide conclusive evidence of the benefits of either method of postoperative pain control. ⋯ While patient-controlled-analgesia was more costly, it was also more effective than conventional on-demand intramuscular opioid injections after laparotomy for gynaecological surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effect of music on chronic osteoarthritis pain in older people.
Osteoarthritis is the most common degenerative disease in humans. It usually begins in middle age and is progressive. Chronic pain in older people presents a significant obstacle in maintaining function and independence. Previous studies have shown that music can improve motivation, elevate mood, and increase feelings of control in older people. ⋯ Listening to music was an effective nursing intervention for the reduction of chronic osteoarthritis pain in the community-dwelling elders in this study.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Evaluating Emergency Nurse Practitioner services: a randomized controlled trial.
Emergency Nurse Practitioners (ENP) are increasingly managing minor injuries in Accident and Emergency departments across the United Kingdom. This study aimed to develop methods and tools that could be used to measure the quality of ENP-led care. These tools were then tested in a randomized controlled trial. ⋯ The study was sufficiently large to demonstrate higher levels of patient satisfaction and clinical documentation quality with ENP-led than SHO-led care. A larger study involving 769 patients in each arm would be required to detect a 2% difference in missed injury rates. The methods and tools used in this trial could be used in Accident and Emergency departments to measure the quality of ENP-led care.