The Role of the Cardiac Surgery Patient in Pain Management: The Patient Perspective.

One and a half million cardiac surgeries are completed worldwide each year where undertreated postoperative pain increases the risk of patient morbidity and mortality. Patient-centered pain management is recommended to improve patient outcomes but there is insufficient information regarding how the patient views their role. The objective of this study is to explore cardiac surgery patients' perspectives on their role in postoperative pain management.

Surgery patients' perspectives of their role in postoperative pain: A scoping review.

Background: Post-operative pain is a major factor in surgical recovery. There is evidence that pain remains undermanaged. Complications related to the undermanagement of acute pain can increase length of stay and contribute to readmission and the development of chronic pain.

Barriers and facilitators to opioid agonist therapy in rural and remote communities in Canada: an integrative review.

Background: People living in rural and remote communities in Canada are often disproportionately impacted by opioid use disorder. When compared to urban centres, rural and remote populations face additional barriers to treatment, including geographical distance as well as chronic shortages of health care professionals. This integrative review of the literature was conducted to explore the facilitators and barriers of OAT in rural and remote Canadian communities.

Point-of-care ultrasound: An emerging clinical tool to enhance physical assessment.

Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) is a cost-effective diagnostic technology that, with training, is accessible, portable, and a convenient diagnostic modality to complement physical assessments. PoCUS is beneficial in that it can reduce the number of imaging tests required, while also mitigating barriers to healthcare for rural and remote communities.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: A Strategy to Address Pandemic-Induced Anxiety.

Mental health morbidity has increased amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to social isolation, impairment of basic needs, financial instability, and fears of the virus. New cases of anxiety and depression have been on the rise, while preexisting mental and chronic illnesses have been exacerbated. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a highly flexible technique used to manage an array of mental illnesses.

The role of the NP in primary care of adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Adults with autism spectrum disorder have poorer physical and psychological health outcomes compared with individuals who are neurotypical and benefit from exceptional primary care. NPs are uniquely positioned to reform primary care and eliminate inequities, and can help influence practice standards and optimize care for these patients through education, advocacy, and health promotion.

Visual analysis of global comparative mapping of the practice domains of the nurse practitioner/advanced practice nursing role in respondent countries.

Background: Internationally, there is increasing demand for nurse practitioner (NP) and advanced practice nursing (APN) roles; however, high variability exists in how NP/APN roles are defined and understood.

Purpose: The aim of this research was to improve our understanding of how the NP/APN is defined globally by: 1) examining role definitions, competencies, and standards of practice for advanced practice nurses internationally; 2) describing from a global perspective the core concepts and common features of NP/APN associated with practice domains; and 3) exploring the utility of text mining and visual analytics in identifying the clustered core concepts common to NP/APN roles organized around the five advanced practice domains of the Strong Advanced Practice Model.

Methods: This article describes the findings of a secondary analysis of an international NP/APN competency mapping project, using innovative text mining and visual analysis techniques to reexamine and summarize the NP/APN role in 19 countries from Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, and North America.

Infertility management in primary care.

Infertility is a growing issue for couples. Primary care NPs can manage initial treatment as well as address the emotional and financial burdens of patients experiencing infertility. NPs can provide timely access to investigations and treatment, helping patients achieve their goal of pregnancy sooner.

A survey of nurse practitioner controlled drugs and substances prescribing in three Canadian provinces.

Aims And Objectives: In Canada, nurse practitioners (NP) were legally authorised to prescribe controlled drugs and substances (CDS) in 2012. The objective of this study was to understand current NP-CDS prescribing in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada. This study is a component of a larger three-phase survey of NP practice patterns in these same provinces.

Antipsychotic use in older adults: Canadian best practices.

Due to the physiologic changes of aging, managing behavioral issues and antipsychotic use is associated with adverse reactions that are more complex in older adults than in younger adults. Therefore, appropriate prescribing and evaluating the need to continue antipsychotics are necessary to enhance optimum patient outcomes. This article discusses best practice recommendations for NPs in Canada to help ensure safe use of antipsychotic medications in the older adult population.

Ovarian cancer: Ensuring early diagnosis.

Ovarian cancer is the most fatal of all gynecologic malignancies. Despite the lack of a recommended screening test for ovarian cancer, NPs can identify risk factors, ensure patients are aware of subtle symptoms, and provide adequate testing and analysis of results.

Adolescent concussions: when to return to play.

Increased awareness of adolescent sport concussions has led to legislation requiring a medical professional's permission to return to play. These patient-specific and evidence-based recommendations for nurse practitioners will ensure safe return to play decisions.