The Various Nursing Intervention Approaches - Research Paper Example

This condition usually results in hemoglobin with increased blood viscosity, dehydration, acidosis, or infection polymerizing with less deformable red cells (McMahon et al, 2002).
The symptoms of SCD which result in vascular occlusion are painful hand-foot syndromes, cerebrovascular occlusions, chest syndromes, and splenic sequestration resulting in splenic atrophy. It is characterized by the failure of the spleen to function optimally even in the first months of birth that usually leads to overwhelming pneumococcal infection, usually at a 20% mortality rate for patients under 5 years old (Overturf, 1999).

Since access to health care is seen as one of the main problems for SCD patients (Routhieaux, Sarcone, Stegenga, 2005), it becomes important to identify ways to mitigate its most immediate or important effect on patients which is pain described as chronic, acute or both. Pain management is an important element of care for SCD patients and related to pain management are to identify pain treatment, control or reduction.

Quality of life is an overarching goal for sick patients even those with genetic disorders such as SCD. Pain reduction is usually related to increased patient satisfaction and improved quality of life even in conditions of disease and chronic pain (Adegbola, 2009). Chronic pain has been reported by people with SCD even when they now have chances of living a longer life (Adegbola, 2009). The use of pain-relieving, controlling and treatment methods for patients with SCD are then important for the determination of quality delivery of health care services.

Various methods are employed in Hospitals settings to treat SCD patients by reducing, controlling, and treating pain. These are influenced by the pain assessor, patient access, affordability, availability, knowledge and orientation of the administrator, and other factors that may be present during prescription or administration. This research will identify these methods and their frequency of use among patients 18 years old and below.

-Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to identify the pain reduction methods used during the nursing intervention and care for patients with SCD. Through identification of these methods and their result on the quality of care, nursing professionals may be provided with a guide on which method or methods best suit patients with ages below 18 years old. Sickle cell disease is characterized by painful experiences of patients of all ages. In the United States alone, there are about 75,000 people with SCD and 1 out of 12 African Americans have the sickle cell trait. While it has been suggested that chronic pain is more prevalent and severe during the earlier years of study about the disease, there still are reported daily experiences of pain by SCD patients in more recent cases (Adegbola, 2009). The study will identify and chronicle the methods used in reducing or removing pain among SCD patients below eighteen (18) years old during the period January 2009 to January 2010 at Kendall Regional Hospital's in-patient section.

The findings will aid nurses and care providers to determine which best will fit the requirements or needs of their patients aged 18 years old and below as well as inform them of available options and best practices in SCD pain management.
-Specific aims
The specific aim of this study is to identify the ways to reduce pain occurrences and painful experiences for SCD patients undergoing treatment and nursing care. Daily experiences of pain were reported by patients with SCD. In the reduction of pain, nurses may implement preferred or better options of pain reduction for patients 18 years old and below that translates to improved care delivery for nurses and carers.
Significance of the problem

The problem of pain experienced by patients with SCD is common. Reduction of pain in the delivery of care leads to improved condition as well as patient satisfaction. Patient-centeredness of health care delivery is an integrated approach toward a holistic patient-health-care provider relationship.

The findings of this study will add to the knowledge about available options, the rationale for preferences by both patients and health care providers, and the provision of best practices for the treatment and control of pain among SCD patients 18 years old and below.
Research questions
1. What nursing interventions and methods were implemented for patients with SCD to reduce incidences and patient experiences of pain?
2. What were the effects of these interventions on patients’ experience of pain?
3. How often were these methods used for SCD patients 18 years old and below during the period under study? Read More