Nursing standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987)
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Infection is a significant challenge in burn care, particularly for those patients who have major burn injuries. This article aims to review the literature and establish best practice in prevention and treatment of infection in patients with major burns. The article considers the causes and clinical features of wound infection, and examines systemic and local methods of prevention and treatment.
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This article explores the role of medicines in the management of acute pain. The main categories of analgesic drugs are outlined and the different routes of administration are explored. The characteristics and precautions associated with the different classes of medicines are also highlighted.
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People with learning disabilities have greater health needs than the general population, and annual health checks for this group are advocated. This article reviews the literature for the need for such checks and discusses whether they lead to health improvements for individuals with learning disabilities. It considers how annual health checks should be implemented and the role of community learning disability teams.
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Wound-related pain can cause significant distress and may lead to reduced quality of life. This article provides an overview of the management and treatment of pain in patients with chronic wounds. The importance of undertaking a thorough pain assessment using pain measuring scales is also discussed.
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Head injury is a common occurrence that often leads to raised intracranial pressure (ICP). While the best care for patients with head injury might be in specialist neuroscience units, limited places mean that nurses working outside these units might also encounter patients with raised ICP. This article describes the pathophysiology of raised ICP in relation to vital observations and nursing interventions.