Postoperative pain: knowledge and beliefs of patients and nurses.

Aims And Objectives: To describe patients' and nurses' knowledge and beliefs regarding pain management. Moreover, to explore the effect of information and education on patients' and nurses' knowledge and beliefs regarding pain management.

Background: In the treatment of postoperative pain, patients' and nurses' inadequate knowledge and erroneous beliefs may hamper the appropriate use of analgesics.

The PINE study: rationale and design of a randomised comparison of epidural injection of local anaesthetics and steroids versus care-as-usual to prevent postherpetic neuralgia in the elderly [ISRCTN32866390].

BACKGROUND: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is by far the most common complication of herpes zoster (HZ) and one of the most intractable pain disorders. Since PHN is seen most often in the elderly, the number of patients with this disorder is expected to increase in our ageing society. PHN may last for months to years and has a high impact on the quality of life.