Cancer Pain in End of Life Cancer Patients - Assignment Example

The paper "Cancer Pain in End of Life Cancer Patients" is a wonderful example of an assignment on nursing. Based on documented studies, pain management among end-of-life cancer patients remains a significant research issue. Inappropriate pain management strategies are the leading cause of immature deaths among end-of-life cancer patients. The mainstream care system relies on the physiological aspects of pain. Consequently, available literature coincides with the mainstream view of cancer pain.

Indeed, the topic will give me an opportunity to search for literature material with a different point of view. Recommendations provided in my final project will be helpful to practitioners working in care centers for end-of-life cancer patients. Thus, the topic will provide a basis for my postgraduate research project.  PICO Strategy Problem In evidence-based practice, identifying a problem or study question is essential. After identifying a population problem (Cancer Pain in End of Life Cancer Patients), I am required to formulate the final research problem/ question.

Clearly, people develop different pain symptoms, hence the need for differentiated pain management strategies (Kumar, 2011). Unfortunately, mainstream pain management strategies concentrate on pain symptoms rather than the source of pain (Mair, 2009). Intervention A sustainable solution to the problem will require the participation of both the patients and the caregivers. Firstly, caregivers or caring homes need to re-define pain. This description/ definition should include additional dimensions of pain that are not covered in the mainstream definition (IACEE, 1999).

For instance, the new definition should incorporate the psychological, emotional, and spiritual aspects of pain. From the above definition, practitioners should classify levels of pain among patients and the best intervention strategies (Kumar, 2011). In this approach, the use of strong opioids will be restricted. This will enable nurses to use alternative pain reduction strategies. Comparison The solution strategy described above compares favorably with other pain management strategies. However, computerized searches for the identified strategies will yield unique searches.

This will be facilitated or made possible by the keywords illustrated below. Alternative pain management strategies advocate pain relievers as the main solution. Outcome The search strategy will seek to establish articles on the mainstream pain management strategies as well as those that address alternative pain reduction strategies. The search will also yield articles that identify faults in current pain management strategies. Indeed, conventional pain management strategies concentrate on the physiological aspect of pain.

The solution strategy aims at popularizing counseling and physiotherapy in cancer pain management. Your final search question Is it possible to eliminate the use of strong opioids in cancer pain management? What alternatives do practices need to be incorporated as substitutes for strong opioids? Database: Pub Med Unlike other medical databases, Pub Med has a separate section for cancer articles. In fact, this resource has recent articles on the subject (Coleman, et al, 2009). Search for conventional, cancer, therapy yielded articles cancer pain management.

In addition, the search yielded articles on conventional pain management strategies among cancer patients. Interchanging the keywords yielded different results. The following articles were found relevant to this search Ferrel, B., Levy, M.H. & Paice, J. (2008). Managing pain from advanced cancer in the palliative care setting, Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 12 (4), 575-81. The search eliminates articles that seek to popularize ordinary pain management procedures. For instance searches for therapy, cancer, and conventional yield articles on conventional pain management practices.

Refined searches will exclude articles that propose the use of strong opioids in cancer pain management. The database allows users to view recent research articles. Moreover, Clinical Key hosts articles from different sources such as medical organizations, educational institution, and research-based articles. The choice for the database was based on its user-friendliness and relevance. Search for hospice, acute, alternative, cancer, intensity yielded the required articles. The first search yielded articles on various cancer treatment practices.

The search also yielded articles on specific cancer cases such as breast and prostate cancer. The following articles were found relevant to the study Bergman, J., Kwan, L., Fink, A. & Litwin, M.S. (2009). Hospice and Emergency Room Use by Disadvantaged Men Dying of Prostate Cancer. Journal of Urology 181 (5) 2084-2089. An effective evaluation method will measure the viability of the proposed solution. Main evaluation variables for the project will include • Patient’s attitude and perception towards cancer pain • Rate of prescription of strong opioids • Competence of home caregivers The significance of the proposed solution depends on its application.

Therefore, my dissemination strategies aim at maximizing the visibility of the project and, maximization of the hypothesized solution. Ineffective pain managing practices among end-of-life cancer patients is the leading cause of immature deaths (Mlek, 2011). There are different levels of pain among terminally ill patients; hence, the need for different pain management practices (Fayers, et al, 2011). Thus, studies to establish the viability of alternative pain management strategies should be conducted before embarking on the actual implementation (Ajello-Laws, et al, 2009).

Supportive literature would also be significant in the implementation plan.