• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.735-742
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• 2002

This study was conducted to identify the pain characteristics, family support and physical functioning and to determine predictors of the quality of life in aged women with chronic pain. Method: The questionnaires were collected through direct interview by a trained research assistant from July 2 to August 24, 2001. Subjects were 108 women clients with chronic pain over 65 years of age. Data analyzed frequency, percentage, mean, Pearson's correlation, ANOVA and stepwise multiple regression by SAS. Result: Care providers were mostly spouses and daughters in law. Care providers who took care of elderly for a few hours a day had the highest percentile. Aged women had persistently had chronic pain of moderate intensity and was moderately satisfied with pain management. The mean score of disability due to pain was 3 on a 10 point scale. The mean scores of physical function and quality of life were moderate and there were negative correlations between pain characteristics, physical functioning, and quality of life at the range from r=-.46 to r=-.83. Satisfaction with care, duration of pain, disability due to pain, and physical functioning accounted for 56% of the variance in perceived quality of life for aged women with chronic pain. Disability due to pain was the most predictable variable of quality of life and physical function was the second .Conclusion: The results suggest that care by family, education in pain control, prevention of disability, and maintenance of physical function are important to improve and maintain quality of life in aged women with chronic pain. Therefore, there is a need for program development that enhance family support and nursing intervention that focuses on active pain control.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.44-62
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to systematically review the measurement tools that are used to assess the pain of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Method : In this systematic review, the studies published between 2009 and 2018 were selected based on the PRISMA flow chart. Data sources included MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochran. We assessed the quality of pain assessment tools reported in individual studies using Terwee et al.'s the Quality Criteria for Measurement Properties. Results : We reviewed 67 studies and 12 pain assessment tools that included two self-reported, seven observational, and three multifaced tools with observations and physiological indicators. The most frequently used tool was the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool. The Multidimensional Observational Pain Assessment Tool was rated the highest quality. Nine of the ten tools that included observations reported content validity, four reported construct validity and nine reported correlation coefficient. Conclusion : It was found that observational tools are appropriate for assessing pain in ICU patients with limited communication skills. To increase the validity and reliability of pain assessment in ICU patients, further research on the physiological indicators of pain is needed.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.9-20
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide basic data to improve prehospital emergency care for patients with labor pain, vaginal bleeding and rape experience by analyzing the reports of 119 emergency medical technicians. Methods: Data were prehospital reports of 190 patients having chief complaints of labor pain, vaginal bleeding and rape in Chungcheongnam-do from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0 descriptive statistics and $x^2$-test. Results: From the 190 cases of labor pain, vaginal bleeding and rape, labor pain accounted for 57.9% including 75.5% of normal delivery; vaginal bleeding accounted for 35.8% including 26.5% of postpartum hemorrhage; and rape victims accounted for 6.3%. Cases with more than one vital sign accounted for 94.2%, but cases without primary assessment of the obstetrics and gynaecology accounted for 38.4% from gestation weeks, 78.0% from parity, and 87.4% from history taking relating to event. Patient care including emotional support was the first priority care accounted for 78.4% and 60% of care was keeping the patients warm. Conclusion : In order to handle various emergency situations properly, the records must be supplemented by obstetrical and gynaecological rape checklist and rape victims supporting system should be established.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.258-272
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify nursing interventions for the postpartum breast care of mothers and determine the effectiveness of interventions for breast pain and engorgement by systematic review. Methods: Eight national and international databases were reviewed to retrieve and collect randomized controlled trial and controlled clinical trial literature published up to March 2015. Two reviewers independently selected the studies and performed data abstraction and validation. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane criteria. A meta-analysis of the studies was performed to analyze the data. Results: The meta-analysis showed that breast massage, along with routine breast care, resulted in a 3.52-point reduction in pain on a 10-point visual analogue scale. Meta-analysis of therapy with cold cabbage leaves and routine breast care showed a pain reduction of 0.54 points. Meta-analysis of cold cabbage leaf application in the experimental group versus cold compress therapy in the comparison group showed a pain reduction of 0.44 points. Meta-analysis of cold cabbage leaf application and routine breast care showed an engorgement reduction of 0.67 points. Conclusion: The results of the analysis of 12 articles showed that hot and cold compresses, breast massage, and cabbage application were effective for postpartum breast pain and engorgement.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.298-310
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• 2023

Purpose: This study synthesized the literature on non-pharmacological interventions for chronic pain in older adults in long-term care facilities. Methods: Scoping review and thematic analysis methods were combined. On June 1, 2023, searches of primary electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL DBpia, KMbase, NDSL, and RISS, were performed, restricting the publication date from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2022. Guidelines from the Joanna Briggs Institute were used as a framework to set and conduct the scoping review. Results: The review identified 1,095 abstracts, from which 14 studies were included in the review. Consequent to the study, there were 10 randomized controlled experimental study designs, and 6 out of 14 studies were conducted in China. The numeric rating scale was widely used for pain assessment. Exercise intervention was provided in 7 studies and physiotherapy was provided in three studies. The outcome variables measured were pain self-efficacy, physical functions, and depression. Conclusion: This comprehensive overview guided nursing staff in long-term care facilities for planning and intervention of effective non-pharmacological interventions for chronic pain in the elderly.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.286-291
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• 2019

Background: Breast cancer is complicated by a high incidence of chronic postoperative pain (25%-60%). Regional anesthesia might play an important role in lowering the incidence of chronic pain; however it is not known if the pectoral nerve block (PECS block), which is commonly used for breast surgery, is able to prevent this complication. Our main objective was therefore to detect any association between the PECS block and chronic pain at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months in patients undergoing breast surgery. Methods: We conducted a prospective, monocentric, observational study. We enrolled 140 consecutive patients undergoing breast surgery and divided them in patients receiving a PECS block and general anesthesia (PECS group) and patients receiving only general anesthesia (GA group). Then we considered both intraoperative variables (intravenous opioids administration), postoperative data (pain suffered by the patients during the first 24 postoperative hours and the need for additional analgesic administration) and development and persistence of chronic pain (at 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo). Results: The PECS group had a lower incidence of chronic pain at 3 months (14.9% vs. 31.8%, P = 0.039), needed less intraoperative opioids (fentanyl $1.61{\mu}g/kg/hr$ vs. $3.3{\mu}g/kg/hr$, P < 0.001) and had less postoperative pain (3 vs. 4, P = 0.017). Conclusions: The PECS block might play an important role in lowering incidence of chronic pain, but further studies are needed.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.206-220
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of depression, discomfort, spirituality, physical care, and opioid use on pain with terminally ill cancer patients residing in hospice units. The convenient sample of this study consisted of 41 terminally ill cancer patients at three hospice units in university affiliated hospitals. Patients were interviewed with structured questionnaires three times at predetermined intervals: admission to the hospice unit (Time 1), one week later (Time 2), and two weeks later (Time 3). The data was collected from January 1998 to January 1999 and was analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multivariate multiple regression. 1. The mean age of the participants was approximately 55 years old. In terms of diagnosis, lung cancer showed the highest frequency (19.5%), followed by stomach cancer and rectal cancer (17.1%). The motive of seeking hospice unit admission was control (72. 2%), followed by spiritual care (50%), and symptom relief (38.9%). 2. Regarding the type of pain felt, the highest pain frequency the participants experienced was deep pain (55%), followed by multiple pain (25%), intestinal pain (10%), then superficial (5%) and neurogenic pain (5%). For the level of pain measured by VAS, there was no significant difference among the three time points; Time 1 (5.04$\pm$2.21), Time 2 (4.82$\pm$2.58) and Time 3(4.73$\pm$2.51). 3. There was significant change seen in spirituality and physical care in each time interval. Namely, the longer the length of admission at the hospice unit, the higher the importance of spirituality (p=0.0001) and the more the physical care the participants received (p=0.01). The opioid use at the three time points showed the following frequencies : Time 1 (75.6%), Time 2 (85.4%) and Time 3 (75.6%). 4. Regarding factors influencing pain, the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (p〈0.01) and the opioid use (p〈0.1). These results were the most significant at the two time points (Time 1 and Time 2). At Time 3 (two weeks later), the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (p〈0.05) and the amount of physical care the participants received (p〈0.1). In conclusion, the terminally ill cancer patients had moderate pain, were generally depressed, and were treated with opioid analgesics. As approaching death, the patients received more physical care due to increased physical symptoms experienced and they had a higher perception of the importance of spirituality. Thus, health care professionals need to provide continuous care for each of them to die comfortably physically, psycho- logically, and spiritually.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.112-114
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• 2011

Due to its complex pathophysiology and wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, the diagnosis of CRPS is often missed in the early stage by primary care physicians. After being treated by a primary care physician for 5 months for chronic cellulitis, a 16-year-old girl was referred to our hospital with features of type-1 CRPS of the right upper extremity. Inability to diagnose early caused prolonged suffering to the girl with all the consequence of CRPS. The patient responded well with marked functional recovery from multimodal therapy. Ability to distinguish CRPS from other pain conditions, referral for specialty care at the appropriate time and full awareness of this condition and its clinical features among various healthcare professionals are essential in reducing patient suffering and stopping its progression towards difficult-to-treat situations.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.101-107
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• 1999

Background : In order to improve the quality of life of dying patients, they need to receive not only the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual care, but also systematic and continuous care to die with dignity. However, no adequate medical services are available for these terminal cancer patients. We studied their behavior patterns of health care utilization to understand more of their medical and social needs. Methods : We investigated 108 bereaved families through the telephone interview with structured questionnaires. They were randomly selected through the retrospective chart review of the terminal patients who passed away due to cancer. Results : Most of the terminal cancer patients received their care from proper medical services including admission to hospital (45.4%), outpatient clinic (22.2%), emergency room (16.7%), and oriental medicine (12.0%). But during the terminal phase of their illness, 32.4% of patients never received medical care including oriental medicine, and 28.7% received alterative natural care. 26 bereaved families (24.1%) pointed out the indifference of medical staff as a problem receiving proper hospital care, and 22 (20.4%) emphasized emotional strain of their helplessness with the patients' suffering as a problem of caring at home. Over 90% suggested availability of continuous care, hospice care, home care, and 24 hour telephone service to be improved. Conclusions : Due to various reasons, adequate medical care is not delivered to the terminal cancer patients in our present medical system. These problems can be approached with the establishment of proper education and medical delivery system. The role of comprehensive medical specialty cannot be overly emphasized to accomplish this most effectively.

• Korean Journal of Hospice Care
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to find out the effect of hospice home care on the pain relief and quality of life of terminal cancer patients. Method: Experimental pre and post tests were provided to a single group to see the changes of quality of life of patients who were referred to a hospice home care department after having cancer treatment. They were visited at least 8 times for the duration of 4~6 weeks and were provided a 24 hour phone call service. 41 subjects were transferred to a hospice home care department after being discharged from hospital were selected. Result: 1)The first hypothesis that "the pain score of the subjects after receiving hospice home care would be different from before receiving hospice home care would be different from before receiving hospice home care" which scored 4.06 point at the first test and 3.41 at the second did not statistically show a significant difference(t=1.421 p=1.66), even though the pain score is decreased. 2)The 2nd hypotheses that "the quality of life score of the subjects after receiving hospice home care would be different from before receiving hospice home care" which scored 2.88 point at the first test and 3.39 at the second showed a significant difference(t=-6.759, p=.000) and was supported. Regarding the changes of quality of life score, social aspect(t=-5.745, p=.000), emotional aspect(t=-5.684, p=.000), and spiritual aspect(t=-6.889, p=.000) has significantly been increased, while physical aspect has been more decreased significantly than before the hospice home care is provided(t=4.282, p=.000). Conclusion: It was effective to provide hospice home care in relieving the terminal cancer patients' pain and in improving their quality of life, even though a short term hospice home care for 4-6 weeks was provided.