The complicated case of a retiree with a newly diagnosed lung tumor kicks off our new “Case Study” department.
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Pain Management / Sedation
The U.S. Air Force releases a new policy on anesthesia delivery.
Use fragrant oils to soothe muscles, relieve tension, and more.
Pain affects many aspects of your patient’s reality. Learn about the seven dimensions of pain and how to evaluate them.
More than 1 million Americans a year suffer a myocardial infarction (MI). This article tells you how – and how quickly – you need to respond to the…
Fibromyalgia produces many symptoms but no signs, so some clinicians dismiss it as a wastebasket diagnosis. But the pain is very real, and patients with fibromyalgia need you…
For homeless people, chronic illnesses can be hard to manage. Here’s what you should know about assessing these patients and developing a practical discharge plan.
According to a study by The Lewin Group, a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) acting independently to deliver anesthesia is more cost effective than models using medical direction.…
Read up on the latest evidence-based best practices in pain management.
No matter if you like – or fear – a doctor who behaves badly, you must report the incident for the sake of the staff, the patients, the…
An update of drug news, including alerts, approvals, and removals.
WEB EXCLUSIVE! An update of drug news, including alerts, approvals, and removals.
Learn what you can do to manage this devastating effect of cancer treatment.
On March 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed marketing of the first device as a preventative treatment for migraine headaches. This is also the first…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a joint meeting of the Anesthetic and Life Support Drugs Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee…
On March 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Impavido (miltefosine) to treat a tropical disease called leishmaniasis. Read more.
On March 1, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is joining health professional organizations in encouraging prescribers to seek education to safely prescribe…
On Aug. 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about risk of death from postop codeine use in children following tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy. The…
I have been a critical care nurse since 2008. In our unit, patients have call lights, and of course, patients and families want them answered immediately. My practice…
Be sure you’re up to date on this common problem.
Leah Curtin discusses a restraint situation.
Many people assume herbs can’t cause harm, and neglect to tell healthcare providers they’re using them. This article will boost your herbal awareness and help you eradicate herbal…
Hospira has widened its March 31 recall of Liposyn and propofol to include more lots. The recall was issued because some containers may contain particulate matter. Read more…
By Rosemary C. Polomano, PhD, RN, FAAN Advances in battlefield trauma management have significantly improved survival among military personnel injured in the current Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, compared to…
Less pain means a great gain for patients. Learn about ANA’s agenda to improve the management of chronic and acute pain.
On Aug. 8, The Joint Commission released the Sentinel Event Alert, “Safe use of opioids in hospitals.” The Alert warns of opioid-induced respirator depression and offers strategies for…
Should patients receive neuromuscular blockers while mechanical ventilation is withdrawn?
We welcome your comments!Submit your letters to the editor.
Dimensions of pain distraction I read with applause “Assessing the seven dimensions of pain” in the February issue. I work in a large teaching institution in the Midwest,…
Chronic pain has widespread effects on older adults. This article describes how to help patients manage it.
Visit a new one-stop resource for managing pain in the elderly at www.geriatricpain.org. Sections of the site include pain assessment, pain management, education, quality improvement, resources, and FAQs.…
The National Institute of Nursing Research is studying ways to promote better outcomes for patients with chronic pain.
Accurately assessing and detecting acute or chronic pain in older adults (65 years and older) is challenging, especially if they have difficulty recognizing, interpreting, and communicating their pain…
An individualized, multimodal, and interprofessional approach is key for success. Takeaways: Many pediatric patients experience unnecessary pain because of undertreatment and inadequate pain management after surgery. Barriers to…
Suspect polymyalgia in patients who continue to decline after treatment for pericardial effusion.
Understand the terms opioid tolerant and opioid naïve so you can safely administer opioids and protect patients.
Mistakes involving medications are among the most common healthcare errors. Medication errors lengthen hospital stays, increase inpatient expenses, and lead to more than 7,000 deaths annually in the…
Preventable medication errors cost the U.S. healthcare system more than $21 billion annually, according to the National Priorities Partnership and National Quality Forum. This number has risen significantly…
Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which makes Darvon and Darvocet, the brand versions of the prescription pain medication propoxyphene, has agreed to withdraw the medication from the U.S. market at…
The latest in a series of articles on managing cancer-related symptoms from the Oncology Nursing Society.
To improve patient outcomes, nurses need to challenge practice traditions.
Which sedation strategy for ICU patients on mechanical ventilation can help mitigate post-intensive care syndrome? a. Keep the patient heavily sedated. b. Use the lightest level of sedation…
A procedure may be routine to you, but the pain it produces isn’t routine to your patient.
Perhaps you’ve heard of a complementary therapy called Reiki, or maybe you’ve experienced it yourself. Reiki is one of the fastest-growing energy healing practices, used by millions of…
For a patient receiving high-dose opioids, frequent monitoring of the sedation level and quick intervention when that level increases stops respiratory depression from claiming another victim.
Read this puzzling case history, and see if you can decide on the correct diagnosis.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Actavis Inc. has recalled 18 lots of Fentanyl Transdermal System 25 mcg/hour C-II patches from wholesale and retail locations after…
Nursing Strategies to Improve Pain Care in Veterans and Military Personnel
By Kevin T. Galloway, BSN, MHA; Chester C. Buckenmaier III, MD; Rollin M. Gallagher, MD, MPH; and Rosemary C. Polomano, PhD, RN, FAAN An important initial step in…
In the military healthcare system, the need for aggressive management of acute pain associated with combat injuries and trauma is obvious. An equally important and possibly greater issue facing…
By Kevin T. Galloway, BSN, MHA; Chester C. Buckenmaier III, MD; and Rosemary C. Polomano, PhD, RN, FAAN Pain is a significant challenge both for those who experience…
What does SWAT stand for? So Where Are They? Smart, Witty, and Talented? Smiling, Willing, Able, Technical? (more…)
A weekly round-up of clinical and practice news and alerts.
Failure to rescue is most common safety mistake in hospitals HealthGrades’ fifth annual Patient Safety in American Hospitals Study found that failure to rescue and other patient safety…
American Diabetes Association releases food guidelines for specific medical categories “When you’re talking about diabetes, there is no ‘one size fits all’ diet,” said Ann Albright, PhD, RD,…
CDC recommends annual flu shots for children ages 2 to 4 For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is endorsing yearly flu shots…
Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution, used to relieve moderate to severe pain in patients tolerant to opioids. liraglutide (Victoza), a once-daily injection for treating type 2 diabetes in adults.
Music can decrease patients’ pain and anxiety, lower their pulse and blood pressure, and reduce their need for sedation.
Learn how to detect and manage pain in patients who may not respond to pain in expected ways.
Make sure you’re up-to-date on how to deliver epidural, intrathecal, interpleural, and perineural analgesia and local anesthesia.
Mechanical ventilation can cause serious complicattions-among them lung injury, pneumonia, and multisystemic disorders. Early weaning reduces these risks. This article is available to American Nurses Association members and…
Learn how one unit implemented their project, including outcomes and how to overcome barriers.
Safe, effective pain control hinges on a multimodal approach that addresses the cause of pain and uses medications and other interventions that relieve the patient’s specific type of…
A catastrophic diagnosis puts nursing care to the test
The complicated case of a retiree with a newly diagnosed lung tumor kicks off our new “Case Study” department.
Air Force recognizes CRNAs’ full scope of practice
The U.S. Air Force releases a new policy on anesthesia delivery.
Aromatherapy for you and your patient
Use fragrant oils to soothe muscles, relieve tension, and more.
Assessing the seven dimensions of pain
Pain affects many aspects of your patient’s reality. Learn about the seven dimensions of pain and how to evaluate them.
Attacking anterior-wall myocardial infarction in time
More than 1 million Americans a year suffer a myocardial infarction (MI). This article tells you how – and how quickly – you need…
Be a myth-buster: Stop the misconceptions about fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia produces many symptoms but no signs, so some clinicians dismiss it as a wastebasket diagnosis. But the pain is very real, and patients…
Caring for a homeless adult with a chronic disease
For homeless people, chronic illnesses can be hard to manage. Here’s what you should know about assessing these patients and developing a practical discharge…
CRNAs provide cost-effective anesthesia delivery
According to a study by The Lewin Group, a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) acting independently to deliver anesthesia is more cost effective than…
Don’t tolerate disruptive physician behavior
No matter if you like – or fear – a doctor who behaves badly, you must report the incident for the sake of the…
Drugs Today – February 2009
WEB EXCLUSIVE! An update of drug news, including alerts, approvals, and removals.
Evidence-based interventions for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
Learn what you can do to manage this devastating effect of cancer treatment.
FDA allows marketing of first device to prevent migraine headaches
On March 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed marketing of the first device as a preventative treatment for migraine headaches. This…
FDA announces July 22-23 meeting to discuss extended-release and long-acting opioid analgesics
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a joint meeting of the Anesthetic and Life Support Drugs Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and…
FDA approves Impavido to treat leishmaniasis
On March 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Impavido (miltefosine) to treat a tropical disease called leishmaniasis. Read more.
FDA encourages prescribers to seek education on prescribing opioid pain meds
On March 1, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is joining health professional organizations in encouraging prescribers to seek…
FDA warns of risk of death from postop codeine use in children
On Aug. 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about risk of death from postop codeine use in children following…
From our readers…How my bad experiences with call lights formed my nursing practice
I have been a critical care nurse since 2008. In our unit, patients have call lights, and of course, patients and families want them…
Herbal facts, herbal fallacies
Many people assume herbs can’t cause harm, and neglect to tell healthcare providers they’re using them. This article will boost your herbal awareness and…
Hospira widens recall of Liposyn and propofol
Hospira has widened its March 31 recall of Liposyn and propofol to include more lots. The recall was issued because some containers may contain…
Improving pain care for combat injured soldiers and veterans
By Rosemary C. Polomano, PhD, RN, FAAN Advances in battlefield trauma management have significantly improved survival among military personnel injured in the current Afghanistan…
Improving pain management: Call to action
Less pain means a great gain for patients. Learn about ANA’s agenda to improve the management of chronic and acute pain.
Joint Commission issues Sentinel Event Alert on opioid use in hospitals
On Aug. 8, The Joint Commission released the Sentinel Event Alert, “Safe use of opioids in hospitals.” The Alert warns of opioid-induced respirator depression…
Last Breath: The ethics of pharmacologic paralysis
Should patients receive neuromuscular blockers while mechanical ventilation is withdrawn?
Letters to the Editor – May 2008
Dimensions of pain distraction I read with applause “Assessing the seven dimensions of pain” in the February issue. I work in a large teaching…
Managing chronic pain in the elderly
Chronic pain has widespread effects on older adults. This article describes how to help patients manage it.
New resource for pain management in the elderly
Visit a new one-stop resource for managing pain in the elderly at www.geriatricpain.org. Sections of the site include pain assessment, pain management, education, quality…
Nursing research takes aim at chronic pain
The National Institute of Nursing Research is studying ways to promote better outcomes for patients with chronic pain.
Pain assessment and nonpharmacologic management in older adults
Accurately assessing and detecting acute or chronic pain in older adults (65 years and older) is challenging, especially if they have difficulty recognizing, interpreting,…
Pediatric pain management
An individualized, multimodal, and interprofessional approach is key for success. Takeaways: Many pediatric patients experience unnecessary pain because of undertreatment and inadequate pain management…
Polymyalgia rheumatica: A possible cause of pericardial effusion
Suspect polymyalgia in patients who continue to decline after treatment for pericardial effusion.
Preventing complications in patients receiving opioids
Understand the terms opioid tolerant and opioid naïve so you can safely administer opioids and protect patients.
Preventing high-alert medication errors in hospital patients
Mistakes involving medications are among the most common healthcare errors. Medication errors lengthen hospital stays, increase inpatient expenses, and lead to more than 7,000…
Preventing medication errors by empowering patients
Preventable medication errors cost the U.S. healthcare system more than $21 billion annually, according to the National Priorities Partnership and National Quality Forum. This…
Propoxyphene taken off market
Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which makes Darvon and Darvocet, the brand versions of the prescription pain medication propoxyphene, has agreed to withdraw the medication from…
Putting evidence into practice: Pain
The latest in a series of articles on managing cancer-related symptoms from the Oncology Nursing Society.
Questioning common nursing practices: What does the evidence show?
To improve patient outcomes, nurses need to challenge practice traditions.
Quiz time
Which sedation strategy for ICU patients on mechanical ventilation can help mitigate post-intensive care syndrome? a. Keep the patient heavily sedated. b. Use the…
Recognizing and easing procedural pain
A procedure may be routine to you, but the pain it produces isn’t routine to your patient.
Reiki: Ancent healing art for today’s new healthcare vision
Perhaps you’ve heard of a complementary therapy called Reiki, or maybe you’ve experienced it yourself. Reiki is one of the fastest-growing energy healing practices,…
Reversing opioid-induced respiratory depression
For a patient receiving high-dose opioids, frequent monitoring of the sedation level and quick intervention when that level increases stops respiratory depression from claiming…
Severe pain: What’s the diagnosis?
Read this puzzling case history, and see if you can decide on the correct diagnosis.
Some fentanyl transdermal patches recalled
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Actavis Inc. has recalled 18 lots of Fentanyl Transdermal System 25 mcg/hour C-II patches from wholesale…
Special Report – War on Pain
Nursing Strategies to Improve Pain Care in Veterans and Military Personnel
Special report – War on Pain: Multimodal and multidisciplinary therapy for pain management
By Kevin T. Galloway, BSN, MHA; Chester C. Buckenmaier III, MD; Rollin M. Gallagher, MD, MPH; and Rosemary C. Polomano, PhD, RN, FAAN An…
Special report – War on Pain: Pain management across the military continuum
In the military healthcare system, the need for aggressive management of acute pain associated with combat injuries and trauma is obvious. An equally important and…
Special report – War on Pain: Understanding pain and pain mechanisms
By Kevin T. Galloway, BSN, MHA; Chester C. Buckenmaier III, MD; and Rosemary C. Polomano, PhD, RN, FAAN Pain is a significant challenge both…
SWAT nursing: A unique specialty
What does SWAT stand for? So Where Are They? Smart, Witty, and Talented? Smiling, Willing, Able, Technical? (more…)
Take Note – June 2008
Failure to rescue is most common safety mistake in hospitals HealthGrades’ fifth annual Patient Safety in American Hospitals Study found that failure to rescue…
Take Note – November 2006
American Diabetes Association releases food guidelines for specific medical categories “When you’re talking about diabetes, there is no ‘one size fits all’ diet,” said…
Take Note – October 2006
CDC recommends annual flu shots for children ages 2 to 4 For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is…
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved two drugs
Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution, used to relieve moderate to severe pain in patients tolerant to opioids. liraglutide (Victoza), a once-daily injection for treating type…
Tune into the healing power of music
Music can decrease patients’ pain and anxiety, lower their pulse and blood pressure, and reduce their need for sedation.
Understanding pain in patients with intellectual disabilities
Learn how to detect and manage pain in patients who may not respond to pain in expected ways.
Using catheter techniques to deliver analgesia
Make sure you’re up-to-date on how to deliver epidural, intrathecal, interpleural, and perineural analgesia and local anesthesia.
Weaning patients from the mechanical ventilator: The nurse’s role
Mechanical ventilation can cause serious complicattions-among them lung injury, pneumonia, and multisystemic disorders. Early weaning reduces these risks. This article is available to American…
What Works: Improving documentation of restraints in the neuro ICU
Learn how one unit implemented their project, including outcomes and how to overcome barriers.
What you should know about first-line pain medications
Safe, effective pain control hinges on a multimodal approach that addresses the cause of pain and uses medications and other interventions that relieve the…
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