Seminars in perioperative nursing
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Semin Perioper Nurs · Oct 2001
ReviewEvidence for opioid variability, Part 2: Psychosocial influences.
There is substantial evidence to show that certain biological and psychosocial factors affect opioid requirements after surgery. In fact, evidence suggests that individuals are much more likely to be different rather than similar in how they sense pain, react to it and respond to therapy. ⋯ Content will assist perioperative nurses to understand the characteristics of their patients and circumstances that place patients at risk for needing increased analgesia or experiencing poor pain control. As perioperative nurses strive to integrate research into practice, it will be important to examine the results of research studies and to determine the usefulness of this information in developing individualized plans for postoperative pain management.
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Semin Perioper Nurs · Jul 2001
Composition and performance of a small resuscitation team in a deployed military hospital.
The Royal Australian Navy deployed a 5-person resuscitation team, including 2 nursing officers, to East Timor from February to August 2000 as part of the United Nations Military Hospital. The team managed a wide variety of emergency presentations, effectively utilising the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) model. The 2 nursing officers, in addition to using their clinical skills, also provided leadership, enhancing communication and cohesion within the team and ultimately providing an essential contribution to the team's excellent patient outcomes.
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Semin Perioper Nurs · Apr 2001
Historical ArticleA brief analysis of historical trends in nursing education: is there application to the current environment?
The history of nursing is circuitous and inconsistent; it has not always been based on scientific principles and delivered by providers with ethical and moral standing. Much of the image of nursing relates directly to the education, or lack of, over the course of its natural history. This article is a snapshot of the history of nursing education with application to the issues, risks, and changes of today.
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As registered professional nurses, we have an obligation to our patients to assure we are practicing at a competent level. Nurse managers and administrators must show to the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) that the nurses providing care in their facility are competent. Assessing competency is not a simple task, and there is no 1 correct answer or definition of competence or competency assessment. ⋯ Research is vital to validate that certification does indeed show competency. The research committee of CBPN and the Nurse Credentialing Research Coalition (NCRC) are committed to quantify not only the value of the credential but to examine the personal, professional, and practice outcomes of certified nurses across the country. It is hoped that the current research being conducted will eventually allow concerned parties to have assurance that the certified professional registered nurse is indeed a competent registered nurse.