Training the trainer: An educational course for training pain nursing specialists supported by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).

To train pain nursing specialists through a pain education program, 20 nurses from six hospitals in Shanghai Province and seven in six provinces of China received the training of 2-month pain education and 4-month clinical practice. This nonrandomized pilot study examined the results of tests before and after the program, case report evaluations, future plan evaluations, clinical practice, and satisfaction questionnaire. After the program, the score of the test increased significantly compared with that before the program (44.1 ± 3.19; paired-sample t = 10.363; p < .0001). All of the participants thought that the program had broadened their vision, 19 (95%) thought that the program had raised the level of their theoretical knowledge in pain management, 17 (85%) thought that the program had improved their skills in clinical practice, and 15 (75%) thought that the program had played a role in enhancing their research abilities. Considering the whole program, most students (n = 17; 85%) were quite satisfied, and 3 (15%) were simply satisfied. By content analysis of the opening questions, we found that the participants had deeper and broader ideas about nurses' role and pain nursing specialists' responsibilities in pain management. The program improved nurses' attitudes, knowledge, and skills in pain management. The participants recognized pain nursing specialists' responsibilities in pain management more clearly.

Practice of integrated treatment process for acute ischaemic stroke in hospital coordinated by emergency stroke nurses.

AIMS: To explore the practice effect of establishing an integrated treatment process by stroke emergency nurses in general hospitals for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). DESIGN: Compared the time spent in each link before and after the establishment of AIS integrated treatment. METHODS: Since March 2016, we set up a team of emergency stroke nurses (ESN), trained and assessed the knowledge of emergency stroke, and set up a post of ESN. RESULTS: The median time of admission-judgement, admission-establishment of venous access, admission-cranial CT examination and admission-intravenous thrombolytic therapy was statistically significantly shortened after the implementation of the integrated treatment process of AIS coordinated by stroke emergency nurses (p < .01). The new treatment process of AIS further shortens the time of each treatment link and promotes the timeliness.

Which Frequency of Ankle Pump Exercise Should Be Chosen for the Prophylaxis of Deep Vein Thrombosis?

INTRODUCTION: Ankle pump exercise (APE) is an effective method to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the lower extremities. However, traditional APE at a frequency of 3 times/min applied in the clinic lacked high compliance, and individuals were found to prefer an APE of 30 times/min. This study aimed to compare the effects of APEs with the above two different frequencies on the venous hemodynamics and fatigue of lower extremities. METHODS: The study applied a randomized cross-over design, and 307 healthy adults were randomly assigned into two groups, whose left feet performed 5 minutes of traditional APE (3 times/min, after 10 minutes of rest) and 5 minutes of selected APE (30 times/min, after 10 minutes of rest) in different orders. The diameters and blood flow velocities of the external iliac vein, femoral vein, and popliteal vein of the left extremities were recorded with the color doppler ultrasound when participants were at rest and after 5 minutes of traditional or selected APE. The fatigue of lower extremities was assessed with the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) after the participants performed 5 minutes of different APEs. RESULTS: After both traditional APE and selected APE, the diameters and blood flow (peak systolic) velocities of the external iliac vein, femoral vein, and popliteal vein increased significantly in the participants (P<.01), and the effects of the two APEs on venous hemodynamics of the lower extremities had no significant difference (P>.05). However, participants reported that traditional APE caused higher fatigue, and 252 (82.1%) participants preferred APE at 30 times/min. CONCLUSION: Both traditional and selected APE could increase venous blood flow in the lower extremity. Despite the equivalent effects, the selected APE of 30 times/min may cause less fatigue than the traditional one of 3 times/min.