Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
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Pain is one of the most common and undesired symptoms in cancer patients, affecting patients' physical and psychological well-being. Barriers to effective pain management in cancer patients need to be identified and addressed by clinicians. ⋯ Tailoring culturally appropriate educational programs regarding effective cancer pain management could facilitate pain management among patients with cancer.
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Fibromyalgia (FM) is associated with debilitating pain and a reduced heart rate variability (HRV), reflecting decreased emotional adaptability and resistance to stress. Common pharmacological treatments are ineffective, and opioids are highly addictive and cause an estimated 15,000 overdose deaths per year. Effective recommendations include patient-centered interventions like physical activity, cognitive behavioral therapy, and biofeedback. Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) may be effective in improving HRV, thus increasing stress resistance and emotional adaptability and reducing pain. ⋯ The reviewed studies had methodological flaws. However, HRVB is a promising treatment for chronic pain. Larger, randomized controlled studies are needed to thoroughly evaluate the relationship between HRVB and FM pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Reducing Pain and Fear in Children During Venipuncture: A Randomized Controlled Study.
Venous blood sampling is a common procedure in the hospital setting and cause significant pain and stress for children. ⋯ Balloon inflation, ball squeezing, and coughing were all effective in reducing pain and fear associated with venipuncture in children aged 7-12 years. These are simple, rapid, and cost-effective methods that nurses can implement during venipuncture with minimal equipment and preparation.
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Many patients with cancer pain deviate from prescribed analgesic regimens. Our aim was to elicit the trade-offs patients make based on their beliefs about analgesic use and rank utilities (importance scores) using maximum difference (MaxDiff) scaling. We also investigated if there were unique clusters of patients based on their analgesic beliefs. ⋯ Our findings support tailored pain management interventions that attend to individual beliefs about cancer pain and analgesic use. Future research should explore the relationship between analgesic utilities, actual analgesic taking behaviors, and how they impact patients' cancer pain outcomes.
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The rarity of perianesthetic catastrophic events creates a challenge in training support staff in the treatment of emergencies such as local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST). Simulation learning offers a unique venue in which to safely encounter rare events. ⋯ Experiential learning often results in significant knowledge acquisition and retention. Participants in this study improved their test scores regarding LAST and increased their sense of self-efficacy and ability to handle crisis scenarios after taking part in a high-fidelity simulation.