European clinical practice recommendations on opioids for chronic noncancer pain - Part 2: Special situations.

Background: Opioid use for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is under debate. In the absence of pan-European guidance on this issue, a position paper was commissioned by the European Pain Federation (EFIC).

Methods: The clinical practice recommendations were developed by eight scientific societies and one patient self-help organization under the coordination of EFIC.

European* clinical practice recommendations on opioids for chronic noncancer pain - Part 1: Role of opioids in the management of chronic noncancer pain.

Background: Opioid use for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is complex. In the absence of pan-European guidance on this issue, a position paper was commissioned by the European Pain Federation (EFIC).

Methods: The clinical practice recommendations were developed by eight scientific societies and one patient self-help organization under the coordination of EFIC.

The Potential Role of Smart Infusion Devices in Preventing or Contributing to Medication Administration Errors: A Descriptive Study of 2 Data Sets.

Objectives: Errors in medication administration are common, with many interventions suggested to reduce them. For intravenous infusion-related errors, "smart infusion devices" incorporating dose error reduction software are widely advocated. Our aim was to explore the role of smart infusion devices in preventing or contributing to medication administration errors using retrospective review of 2 complementary data sets that collectively included a wide range of errors with different levels of actual or potential harm.

Ketamine infusion for 96 hr after thoracotomy: Effects on acute and persistent pain.

Introduction: Pain which persists after thoracotomy is well recognized, and activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor could be a contributing factor. This study sought to establish whether ketamine given peri-operatively could reduce persistent post-surgical pain.

Trial Design: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial comparing low-dose intravenous ketamine and saline placebo.

Procedural and documentation variations in intravenous infusion administration: a mixed methods study of policy and practice across 16 hospital trusts in England.

Background: Procedural and documentation deviations relating to intravenous (IV) infusion administration can have important safety consequences. However, research on such deviations is limited. To address this we investigated the prevalence of procedural and documentation deviations in IV infusion administration and explored variability in policy and practice across different hospital trusts.

Errors and discrepancies in the administration of intravenous infusions: a mixed methods multihospital observational study.

Introduction: Intravenous medication administration has traditionally been regarded as error prone, with high potential for harm. A recent US multisite study revealed few potentially harmful errors despite a high overall error rate. However, there is limited evidence about infusion practices in England and how they relate to prevalence and types of error.

Nurses' Experiences of Patients with Substance-Use Disorder in Pain: A Phenomenological Study.

Patients with substance-use disorder and pain are at risk of having their pain underestimated and undertreated. Unrelieved pain can exacerbate characteristics that are believed to be 'drug-seeking' and in turn, perceived drug-seeking behavior can contribute to a patient being stigmatized and labeled 'difficult'. Previous literature has indicated that negative attitudes towards patients with substance-use disorder may affect their pain management but little is known about the specific barriers.

Pain: a quality of care issue during patients' admission to hospital.

Aim: To determine the extent of clinically significant pain suffered by hospitalized patients during their stay and at discharge.

Background: The management of pain in hospitals continues to be problematic, despite long-standing awareness of the problem and improvements, e.g.

Use of ketamine in uncontrolled acute and procedural pain.

This article explores the role of ketamine in pain management. Ketamine is an analgesic used to treat uncontrolled acute and procedural pain. It has protective properties and can prevent patients from developing persistent pain.

Patient-controlled analgesia: what information does the patient want?

Aims Of The Study: To formulate and evaluate an information leaflet for patients using patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), incorporating information thought to be important by patients.

Rationale: The benefit of current information leaflets, written by professionals, has not been studied and their value to patients is unknown.

Background: Previous studies have shown that information leaflets were poorly designed and written in language too difficult for patients to understand.