Assessment and management of pain during dressing change in patients with diabetic foot ulcers: a best practice implementation project

Pain assessment and management among adult patients in a gynecology ward: a best practice implementation project

OBJECTIVES

This project aimed to improve compliance with evidence-based practice in pain assessment and management in a gynecology ward.

INTRODUCTION

Effective pain control is important to prevent the negative consequences of pain that is poorly managed. However, it remains undervalued and inadequately treated. Applying evidence-based practices to correctly evaluate and manage pain is essential to improve pain relief.

METHODS

This project followed the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework. A baseline audit of 41 women admitted to the gynecology ward was conducted and measured against 5 best practice criteria, along with a patient satisfaction questionnaire. Targeted strategies were then implemented and a follow-up audit was conducted using the same criteria, methods, and sample size as the baseline audit.

RESULTS

The baseline audit revealed gaps between current and best practice. Barriers to implementation were identified and strategies to resolve the barriers were designed and implemented (nurse education, informative materials, electronic patient records system improvements). Comprehensive pain assessment, including dynamic and static pain assessment, use of a validated tool, and education provided to patients and carers, improved in the follow-up audit. There was no change in patient satisfaction levels; however, the discrepancy between pain measured by nurses and pain measured by patients was reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

The JBI methodology was useful in improving compliance with evidence-based practice criteria. It also facilitated adaptation to new barriers, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Improving nurses' knowledge of pain assessment can lead to more accurate assessment. Inadequate records systems also made it difficult to record the care that was provided. Subsequent audits will assess sustainability and the project will be escalated to other wards.

Effect of Pain Education Interventions on Registered Nurses' Pain Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES

This review and meta-analysis aims to reveal how pain education interventions affect registered nurses' pain management.

DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), and ERIC REVIEW METHODS: A systematic search of four electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant peer-reviewed English or Finnish-language articles published between 2008 and 2021. The review included a quality appraisal and a meta-analysis of articles providing group-level data before and after the intervention (n = 12). The methods followed the PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

Overall, 23 articles met the inclusion criteria for the review, of which 15 were evaluated as good quality. Based on the articles on document audits (n = 10), pain education interventions reduced the risk of not receiving the best pain management by 40%, whereas based on the articles on patients' experiences (n = 4), they reduced the risk by 25%. The study quality and design of these articles were considerably heterogenous.

CONCLUSIONS

Pain education study strategies varied widely among the included articles. These articles used multivariate interventions without systematization or sufficient opportunity to transfer the study protocols. It can be concluded that versatile pain nursing education interventions, as well as auditing of pain nursing and its documentation combined with feedback, can be effective to nurses in adapting pain management and assessment practices and increasing patient satisfaction. However, further research is required in this regard. In addition, well-designed, implemented, and reproducible evidence-based pain education intervention is required in the future.

Podiatrists' views of assessment and management of pain in diabetes-related foot ulcers: a focus group study

Background

Contrary to the belief that patients with diabetes-related foot ulcers (DRFU) do not experience wound related pain due to the presence of peripheral neuropathy there is increasing evidence that pain can be present. Subsequently, wound-related pain is often underestimated and undertreated. The aim of this study is to describe what influences pain assessment of DRFU.

Methods

A qualitative exploratory study was conducted with podiatrists who managed DRFU. Eight podiatrists were recruited through a professional organisation to participate in a focus group. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify themes that explored the barriers and enablers to pain assessment and management of DRFU.

Results

Three themes emerged. Observational and non-verbal cues were the preferred approaches used to assess wound pain. Assumptions and value judgments of the pain patients experienced and the relationships between podiatrists, patients and other health care practitioners were important influencers on the assessment and management of pain.

Conclusion

The perceived barriers to the assessment and management of wound related pain in DRFU were attitudes and beliefs about pain, lack of DRFU-specific validated assessment tools and lack of knowledge and skills to manage the pain.