Psychiatric illness in the next of kin of patients who die in the intensive care unit.

Objectives: To determine the rates of psychiatric illness in next of kin following the death of a relative in a medical intensive care unit.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: A university teaching hospital, New Haven, CT.

Management of opioid-induced sedation in patients with cancer.

Opioid-induced sedation is a common dose-limiting side effect of opioid therapy that can be very distressing and sometimes is more difficult to manage than pain. Opioid-induced sedation may prohibit patients from participating in certain activities of daily living, which can be a source of considerable distress for patients and their families. The issue presents a therapeutic dilemma for healthcare professionals caring for patients experiencing the side effect.

Unlicensed staff members' experiences with patients' pain on an inpatient oncology unit: implications for redesigning the care delivery system.

Although unlicensed staff have routine contact with patients in pain, little research relates to their role with these patients. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of unlicensed inpatient hospital staff caring for cancer patients in pain. We sought to understand pain identification and communication practices, describe common practice situations, and identify training needs.