Systematic review of the effectiveness of nursing interventions in reducing or relieving post-operative pain.

Objectives The primary objective of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of nursing interventions for the relief/reduction of post-operative pain when compared with either standard care or other nursing interventions. Inclusion criteria Types of studies This review included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and other quasi-randomised experimental research designs. Types of participants Adults treated for post-operative pain in an acute care hospital. Types of interventions Interventions included in the review were only those directly administered by nursing staff such as: (i) administration of analgesia: including oral, intramuscular injection, patient controlled analgesia, epidural; (ii) pre-operative patient education; (iii) assessment and documentation of intensity of pain at regular intervals; (iv) protocols, clinical pathways or flow-sheets used in the management of pain; and (v) non-pharmacological interventions such as massage and relaxation. Types of outcome measures The primary outcome was the relief or reduction of post-operative pain. Other measures included analgesia consumption, patient satisfaction and length of hospital stay. Search strategy Search terms were chosen after reviewing text words and MeSH terms in relevant articles and databases. A search for published and unpublished research covering the period 1985-2004 (inclusive) was conducted, using 11 major electronic databases. Reference lists of retrieved articles were hand searched. The search was restricted to reports published in English. Assessment of quality The methodological quality of eligible studies was appraised by two independent reviewers, using a standardised critical appraisal tool. Differences in opinion were decided by consensus after discussion with a third investigator. Data extraction and analysis Data were extracted from the studies that met the criteria for methodological quality. Two reviewers independently extracted data for each study, using a standardised extraction tool. Results from homogeneous RCTs where possible were pooled in meta-analysis using RevMan4.2 software program. If the studies were clinically or statistically heterogeneous, the results are discussed in a narrative form. Non-randomised studies are also discussed in narrative form. Results Overall, there is no strong evidence to support the use of any intervention even though a few interventions showed some benefits. However, evidence for these benefits was often based on single studies. Most of the included studies showed that there was no difference between the interventions and the usual care with both being found equally effective. Implications for practice There was no strong evidence to support a particular practice. No intervention was found to be harmful; however, this does not presume to be evidence of safety. When there are two similarly effective interventions nurses need to weigh the possible positive and negative of the intervention including side effects, risk of adverse events, cost and patient preference. Other considerations include variations in patients' past pain experiences, type of surgery, many different analgesics. Although there were no controlled trials to support assessment and documentation, professionally and legally, documentation is required.

Systematic review of the effectiveness of nursing interventions in reducing or relieving post-operative pain.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of nursing interventions for the relief/reduction of post-operative pain when compared with either standard care or other nursing interventions. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Types of studies This review included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and other quasi-randomised experimental research designs. Types of participants Adults treated for post-operative pain in an acute care hospital. Types of interventions Interventions included in the review were only those directly administered by nursing staff such as: (i) administration of analgesia: including oral, intramuscular injection, patient controlled analgesia, epidural; (ii) pre-operative patient education; (iii) assessment and documentation of intensity of pain at regular intervals; (iv) protocols, clinical pathways or flow-sheets used in the management of pain; and (v) non-pharmacological interventions such as massage and relaxation. Types of outcome measures The primary outcome was the relief or reduction of post-operative pain. Other measures included analgesia consumption, patient satisfaction and length of hospital stay. SEARCH STRATEGY: Search terms were chosen after reviewing text words and MeSH terms in relevant articles and databases. A search for published and unpublished research covering the period 1985-2004 (inclusive) was conducted, using 11 major electronic databases. Reference lists of retrieved articles were hand searched. The search was restricted to reports published in English. ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY: The methodological quality of eligible studies was appraised by two independent reviewers, using a standardised critical appraisal tool. Differences in opinion were decided by consensus after discussion with a third investigator. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Data were extracted from the studies that met the criteria for methodological quality. Two reviewers independently extracted data for each study, using a standardised extraction tool. Results from homogeneous RCTs where possible were pooled in meta-analysis using RevMan 4.2 software program. If the studies were clinically or statistically heterogeneous, the results are discussed in a narrative form. Non-randomised studies are also discussed in narrative form. RESULTS: Overall, there is no strong evidence to support the use of any intervention even though a few interventions showed some benefits. However, evidence for these benefits was often based on single studies. Most of the included studies showed that there was no difference between the interventions and the usual care with both being found equally effective. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: There was no strong evidence to support a particular practice. No intervention was found to be harmful; however, this does not presume to be evidence of safety. When there are two similarly effective interventions nurses need to weigh the possible positive and negative of the intervention including side effects, risk of adverse events, cost and patient preference. Other considerations include variations in patients' past pain experiences, type of surgery, many different analgesics. Although there were no controlled trials to support assessment and documentation, professionally and legally, documentation is required.

A randomized controlled trial of a nurse-administered educational intervention for improving cancer pain management in ambulatory settings.

The persistence of negative attitudes towards cancer pain and its treatment suggests there is scope for identifying more effective pain education strategies. This randomized controlled trial involving 189 ambulatory cancer patients evaluated an educational intervention that aimed to optimize patients' ability to manage pain. One week post-intervention, patients receiving the pain management intervention (PMI) had a significantly greater increase in self-reported pain knowledge, perceived control over pain, and number of pain treatments recommended. Intervention group patients also demonstrated a greater reduction in willingness to tolerate pain, concerns about addiction and side effects, being a "good" patient, and tolerance to pain relieving medication. The results suggest that targeted educational interventions that utilize individualized instructional techniques may alter cancer patient attitudes, which can potentially act as barriers to effective pain management.

Family caregivers' experiences and involvement with cancer pain management.

The purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to describe family caregiver involvement in and perceptions of cancer pain management. A consecutively recruited cohort of 75 patient-caregiver dyads attending an outpatient oncology clinic completed self-report questionnaires comprising standardized and investigator-developed measures of pain behaviours and experiences. Family caregivers reported high levels of confidence and willingness to participate in pain management, and extensive involvement in pain management activities including supporting, decision making, and communicating about pain. At the same time, many caregivers experienced a great deal of distress and some difficulties in performing these activities. The significance and scope of these caregiving experiences suggest that developing the caregiver's ability to effectively contribute to pain management is an important priority in efforts to improve cancer pain management.

Perceptions of upper-body problems during recovery from breast cancer treatment.

Despite improved recognition recently, restrictions in upper-body movement continue to cause impairment and distress for many women long after breast cancer treatment. The purpose of this research is to investigate this issue through the perceptions of breast cancer survivors in the context of their everyday lives. Twenty-four women recruited from a private breast clinic in south-eastern Queensland, Australia, participated in a qualitative study. Discussion groups comprised women treated for breast cancer within the previous 18 months. Discussions centred on experiences of physical difficulties, follow-up support, arm lymphoedema and exercise therapy during the women's recoveries. Returning to normal activities for women after breast surgery was felt to take longer than either the women's or their physicians' expectations. Many women reported difficulties in upper-body tasks, which worsened simple everyday responsibilities. The physical impact leads to psychological strain, as the women are constantly reminded of their illness and the possibility they may never return to their full capacity. These upper-body difficulties may include discomfort while driving and sleeping, posture disturbances, reduced employability in physical work, and decreased ability to do housework and gardening. Having lymphoedema or the threat of developing it was very distressing for most women. The potential preventive role of physiotherapy-led exercises to prevent further decline and improve function was strongly emphasised during these discussions. Clinicians need to recognise that it is very common for women with breast cancer to experience upper-body morbidity long after their treatment, and consequently every effort to enhance recovery and avoid further deterioration in function is required.

Barriers to effective cancer pain management: a survey of hospitalized cancer patients in Australia.

The purpose of this study was to examine attitudinal barriers to effective pain management in a consecutively recruited cohort of 114 cancer patients from four Australian hospitals. When surveyed, 48% of this sample reported experiencing pain within the previous 24 hours. Of these, 56% reported this pain to be "distressing, horrible or excruciating," with large proportions indicating that this pain had affected their movement, sleep and emotional well-being. Three factors were identified as potentially impacting on patients' responses to pain-poor levels of patient knowledge about pain, low perceived control over pain, and a deficit in communication about pain. A trend for older patients to experience more severe pain was also identified. These older patients reported being more willing to tolerate pain and perceive less control over their pain. Suggestions are made for developing patient education programs and further research using concepts drawn from broader social and behavioral models.