Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2024
"Maintain Professionalism": Nurses' Experiences in Caring for Patients with Malignant Fungating Wounds in Taiwan.
Malignant Fungating Wounds (MFWs) occur among 5-15% of patients with terminal cancers, the uncontrollable symptoms result in serious psychosocial issues, thereby reducing the quality of life. Caring for MFWs impacts caregivers, including healthcare personnel. While existing studies are patient-focused, the impact of care experiences and associated support for nurses has not been examined. ⋯ The findings suggested the need for addressing the emotional well-being of nurses who take care of patients with MFWs. Future studies should identify effective coping strategies for nurses' health when caring for this population.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2024
Clinician Ordering and Management Patterns of Urine Toxicology Results at a Cancer Center.
Opioid therapy is a cornerstone for treatment of cancer-related pain, but standardized management practices for patients with cancer and aberrant urine drug test (UDT) results are lacking. ⋯ Overall UDT ordering was infrequent for patients with cancer on opioid therapy, especially by oncologists, and clinicians rarely make prescribing changes when definitive UDT results were aberrant. More definitive guidance related to UDT ordering and opioid management are needed for patients with cancer and aberrant UDT results.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2024
ReviewNurse-led psychological interventions for depression in adult cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.
Depression, frequently associated with cancer, significantly impacts health outcomes, necessitating effective treatments. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to synthesise and critically evaluate the evidence from Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) for the efficacy of nurse-led psychological interventions in managing depression among adult cancer patients. It focuses on the unique contribution of these interventions to improving depression management in oncology care, an underrepresented area in the existing literature. ⋯ The findings advocate for the integration of nurse-led psychological interventions into standard cancer care, highlighting their efficacy in improving depressive symptoms in adult cancer patients. These interventions show promise but require further refinement and research to optimise their effectiveness across diverse patient groups and healthcare settings. This review underscores the potential of nurse-led psychological interventions in enriching oncology care and addresses a critical gap in the existing body of research.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2024
Availability and Affordability of Essential Palliative Care Medicines in Nepal: A cross-sectional study.
The government of Nepal adopted 2017 Nepalese National Strategy for Palliative Care (NSPC), which proposed that Essential Palliative Care Medicines (EPCMs) listed by International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) should be available at each healthcare institution. In 2017 after the issuing of NSPC, the Lancet Commission developed an EPCM list. ⋯ Many EPCM formulations included in NSPC of Nepal are not available, and most available EPCMs are unaffordable if purchased out-of-pocket. While the availability is better with government health insurance scheme, many people are not registered for this. Further improvements should follow the development of a Nepalese palliative care formulary.