Vital Signs Are Not Associated with Self-Reported Acute Pain Intensity in the Emergency Department

Perspectives of patients, families and nurses on pain after cardiac surgery: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Post-cardiac surgery pain affects patients, family caregivers and nurses. The pain experiences of patients, caregivers and nurses remain largely unknown. Therefore, it is important to examine the experiences of patients, caregivers and nurses in depth to ensure effective pain management.

AIM

The aim of this study is to examine post-cardiac surgery pain from the perspectives of patients, caregivers and nurses.

STUDY DESIGN

A descriptive qualitative research design was used. The study was carried out in the cardiovascular surgery ward of a tertiary hospital in Türkiye between June and December 2022. The data-driven triangulation method was used in the research. The study sample consisted of eight patients who had undergone cardiac surgery in the tertiary hospital, eight family caregivers and nine nurses who provided care for these individuals. A 'semi-structured interview form' was used to collect data through face-to-face and in-depth interviews. The data were analysed using the thematic analysis method. The COREQ checklist was used for reporting the study.

RESULTS

As a result of the interviews, six themes were elicited from the data. These themes were 'explaining pain', 'assessment of pain', 'responses to pain', 'effect of pain on activities of daily living', 'expectations in painful situations' and 'pain management'.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed the differences between pain perceptions and coping processes of patients who experienced pain after cardiac surgery, their caregivers and nurses.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Considering the experiences of patients, caregivers and nurses in pain management after cardiac surgery, applications that will ensure joint participation in care practices should be planned.

Prospective study of pain and patient outcomes in the emergency department: a tale of two pain assessment methods

BACKGROUND

Accurate pain assessment is essential in the emergency department (ED) triage process. Overestimation of pain intensity, however, can lead to unnecessary overtriage. The study aimed to investigate the influence of pain on patient outcomes and how pain intensity modulates the triage's predictive capabilities on these outcomes.

METHODS

A prospective observational cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital, enrolling adult patients in the triage station. The entire triage process was captured on video. Two pain assessment methods were employed: (1) Self-reported pain score in the Taiwan Triage and Acuity Scale, referred to as the system-based method; (2) Five physicians independently assigned triage levels and assessed pain scores from video footage, termed the physician-based method. The primary outcome was hospitalization, and secondary outcomes included ED length of stay (EDLOS) and ED charges.

RESULTS

Of the 656 patients evaluated, the median self-reported pain score was 4 (interquartile range, 0-7), while the median physician-rated pain score was 1.5 (interquartile range, 0-3). Increased self-reported pain severity was not associated with prolonged EDLOS and increased ED charges, but a positive association was identified with physician-rated pain scores. Using the system-based method, the predictive efficacy of triage scales was lower in the pain groups than in the pain-free group (area under the receiver operating curve, [AUROC]: 0.615 vs. 0.637). However, with the physician-based method, triage scales were more effective in predicting hospitalization among patients with pain than those without (AUROC: 0.650 vs. 0.636).

CONCLUSIONS

Self-reported pain seemed to diminish the predictive accuracy of triage for hospitalization. In contrast, physician-rated pain scores were positively associated with longer EDLOS, increased ED charges, and enhanced triage predictive capability for hospitalization. Pain, therefore, appears to modulate the relationship between triage and patient outcomes, highlighting the need for careful pain evaluation in the ED.

Pulse rate and blood pressure changes during low-irradiance PDT compared with conventional PDT in the treatment of facial actinic keratoses: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Conventional photodynamic therapy (c-PDT) is a highly effective treatment for actinic keratoses. Besides pain as the main side effect, blood pressure (BP) increases and hypertensive crises may occur during treatment. Reducing the irradiation intensity while keeping the total dose constant (low-irradiance PDT) can achieve a clinically relevant reduction in pain. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of li-PDT on the BP and pulse (PR) during therapy and the incidence of post-interventional hypertension compared with c-PDT.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the treatment data of 79 patients (39 c-PDT and 40 li-PDT). BP and PR measurements were performed in all patients before PDT, at mid-exposure, and immediately after PDT. In addition, the pain was assessed by using the visual analog scale.

RESULTS

Patients treated with li-PDT reported significantly lower pain than those receiving c-PDT (p < .0005). Additionally, they showed less systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) BP increase (∆SBP: p < .0005, ∆DBP: p = .015) and overall lower absolute BP values (SBP: p < .0005, DBP: p = .008) compared with c-PDT. They were also significantly less likely to develop post-interventional hypertension (p = .037) or higher stages of arterial hypertension. Regarding PR, there was no difference in absolute values between both groups, but the increase from onset to half irradiation duration was significantly higher in c-PDT (p = .013).

CONCLUSIONS

Li-PDT is an excellent option to reduce the elevation of arterial BP and decrease the incidence of post-interventional hypertension and hypertensive crisis. This finding has considerable relevance, especially with the risk profile of many PDT patients in mind (advanced age and cardiovascular history).

Age and pain score before gastrointestinal endoscopies in children are predictors for post procedure pain

Background

Gastrointestinal endoscopy may be associated with pain and anxiety. Predictors for high pain scores after endoscopies in children are not known. The aim of our study was to identify risk factors for prolonged recovery and higher pain scores after gastrointestinal endoscopy in children.

Methods

All the children that were electively admitted for gastrointestinal endoscopies were included. We retrospectively collected demographic, clinical and endoscopic data as well as information on the recovery process. A numerical rating scale and the Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability Scale were used for pain scoring.

Results

During the study period (01/2016–10/2016), 284 children (median age 10.7 years, interquartile range 6.7–14.8) were recruited. In a univariate analysis, older age, higher pre-procedure pain scores, longer procedure durations, higher number of biopsies and longer recovery duration were associated with higher post-procedure pain scores. In a multivariate analysis higher pain scores before the procedure (OR 12.42, 95% CI 3.67–42, P < 0.001) and older age (OR 1.016, 95% CI 1.007–1.025, P < 0.001) were associated with higher pain scores after the procedure. Children with a higher pain score before the procedure also had a longer recovery period (OR 5.28, 95% CI (1.93–14.49), P = 0.001).

Conclusion

Older age and higher pain score before the procedure were identified as predictors for higher pain score after pediatric gastrointestinal endoscopies. Children with these risk factors should be identified before the procedure in order to personalize their post-procedure management.

The relationship between chest pain intensity and physiological indicators after coronary artery bypass grafting: A correlational study

Background

This study aims to evaluate the relationship between chest pain intensity and physiological indicators in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods

In this correlational study, chest pain intensity and physiological responses of a total of 126 coronary artery bypass grafting patients (104 males, 22 females; mean age 62.3±8.5 years; range, 45 to 80 years) during respiratory exercise were evaluated in a referral hospital setting between December 2016 and March 2018. On the second day after surgery, pain intensity was measured by a numerical rating scale. Physiological indicators were collected using the Nihon Kohden (MU65) monitoring device.

Results

The mean pain intensity score was 7.8±1.9 (range, 1 to 10). There was no significant correlation between the pain intensity and physiological indicators (p>0.05). There was a negative correlation between the pain intensity and age of the patient (r=- 0.183 and p=0.04). Pain intensity was not significantly different between male and female gender (p=0.064).

Conclusion

Our study results show no significant relationship between the chest pain intensity and physiological responses in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Conceptual and operational definitions of the components of the nursing diagnosis Acute Pain (00132)

OBJECTIVE

to develop the operational and conceptual definitions of the defining characteristics and related factors of the nursing diagnosis Acute Pain (00132) for nonverbal critically ill patients.

METHOD

integrative literature review in the databases/libraries: Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE via Pubmed), Cochrane Library, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Latin American & Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS).

RESULTS

799 results were found in the literature, of which 80 studies were selected for full text reading and 16 were used in the elaboration of definitions for the 17 defining characteristics and three related factors of the nursing diagnosis. The gray literature, ie, thesis, dissertations, books, guidelines and dictionary was also explored to ensure the robustness needed to clarify the topics not covered by the studies.

CONCLUSION

the definitions aim to facilitate the identification of the nursing diagnosis for nonverbal critically ill patients and to support future teaching and research on the nursing diagnosis of Acute Pain (00132).