Posted: February 4th, 2023
Pain Management in Postoperative Patients
Identify the nursing care issue or problem and justify why it is a nursing care issue in need of implementation of evidence . Remember, this should not be a medical issue. Explain Specifically how you would search the nursing literature (or the CCN library) for evidence on this topic ( including search terms you would use) and how you would critically appraise the evidence found in your search. Use new APA references and subheading to answer
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Nursing Care Issue: Pain Management in Postoperative Patients
Justification: Pain management is an important aspect of postoperative care, as it affects the patient’s recovery process, overall comfort, and satisfaction with their healthcare experience. It is a nursing care issue because nurses are responsible for providing comprehensive care to patients, including monitoring and managing their pain levels. Additionally, uncontrolled pain can lead to negative outcomes such as prolonged hospital stays, decreased mobility, and increased risk of complications.
Searching the Nursing Literature:
To search the nursing literature for evidence on this topic, I would use the following search terms:
“Postoperative pain management”
“Nursing interventions for postoperative pain”
“Evidence-based practice in postoperative pain management”
“Best practices for postoperative pain management in nursing”
I would use databases such as CINAHL, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library to search for peer-reviewed articles, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses on this topic. I would also search for any guidelines or consensus statements on postoperative pain management issued by professional organizations such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) or the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
Critical Appraisal of Evidence:
Once I have retrieved the relevant articles, I would critically appraise the evidence by evaluating the quality of the study design, sample size, and potential biases. I would also consider the level of evidence, such as whether the study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT), a quasi-experimental design, or a descriptive study.
I would assess the internal validity of the study by examining the methods used for randomization, blinding, and controlling for confounding variables. I would also consider the external validity of the study, such as the generalizability of the results to other populations and settings.
Finally, I would consider the clinical relevance and implications of the study findings. This would include evaluating the magnitude of the effect, the precision of the estimates, and the clinical significance of the results.
Reference:
American Nurses Association. (2015). Pain Management Competencies for Registered Nurses. Silver Spring, MD: Author.
International Association for the Study of Pain. (2019). Nursing management of postoperative pain. Pain, 160(7), 1417-1425. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001676