201A Unit 3 Cards - Copy of Sheet1 Flashcards
What is the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning?
Inductive reasoning involves drawing general conclusions from specific observations, while deductive reasoning applies general principles to reach specific conclusions.
What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative research?
Quantitative research focuses on numerical data and statistical analysis, while qualitative research explores non-numerical data like opinions, experiences, and feelings.
What is HIPAA and its primary purpose?
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act protects patient health information and ensures privacy.
What do Good Samaritan laws protect?
Protect individuals from legal liability when they provide reasonable assistance to those in need during an emergency.
What are examples of disciplinary actions in healthcare?
Actions like license suspension, reprimand, or fines taken against healthcare professionals for misconduct.
What is the difference between assault and battery in healthcare?
Assault is the threat of harm, while battery is the physical act of harm or offensive contact.
What is false imprisonment in healthcare?
Unlawfully restraining a patient without proper justification or consent.
What is invasion of privacy in healthcare?
Unauthorized exposure or sharing of a patient’s personal information.
What is the legal meaning of duty/breach of duty in healthcare?
Duty is the obligation to provide care according to standards, and a breach of duty occurs when that standard is not met, causing harm.
What are the different types of pain and their characteristics?
Acute pain is short-term and sudden; chronic pain lasts longer than six months; neuropathic pain results from nerve damage.
How can we assess if someone is in pain?
Through pain scales, behavioral cues, self-reports, and physiological indicators like heart rate changes.
What are some nonpharmacological methods of pain relief?
Techniques include acupuncture, massage, heat therapy, meditation, exercise, distraction, bio feedback
What are the characteristics of different types of neurons?
Sensory neurons transmit signals to the brain, motor neurons send signals from the brain to muscles, and interneurons connect sensory and motor pathways.
What are the common pain scales used in healthcare?
Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Faces Pain Scale, FLACC (for infants), and PAINAD (for dementia).
What is the significance of evidence-based practice in nursing?
It ensures nursing care is based on scientific evidence, enhancing patient care and outcomes.
What is the PICOT method used for?
To generate research questions for guiding literature reviews. Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Time.
What are the key steps in the research process?
- Define the problem, 2. Literature search, 3. Formulate question/hypothesis, 4. Select design, 5. Collect data, 6. Analyze data, 7. Report findings.
What are some rights of research participants?
Informed consent, right to not be harmed, right to full disclosure, right to privacy and confidentiality.
What is the role of Institutional Review Boards (IRB) in nursing research?
IRBs review and approve research to ensure the rights and welfare of participants are protected.
What are the barriers to using research in nursing?
Lack of research knowledge, negative attitudes, inadequate forums, lack of institutional support, findings not ready for clinical use.
What are nursing theories designed to do?
They help find meaning in experiences, organize thinking, and develop new ideas and insights in nursing practice.
Who are some important nursing theorists?
Florence Nightingale, Virginia Henderson, Hildegard Peplau, Patricia Benner, Madeleine Leininger, Jean Watson.
What is the purpose of laws in nursing practice?
To protect patients and society, define the scope of nursing practice, and establish minimum care standards.
What is the difference between liability and malpractice in nursing?
Liability means being legally responsible, while malpractice is the failure to act reasonably, leading to harm.
What are the sources of law guiding nursing practice?
U.S. Constitution, federal and state legislatures, administrative agencies, and courts.
What are mandatory reporting laws?
Laws requiring healthcare workers to report communicable diseases and suspected abuse cases.
What is the Nurse Practice Act?
A state law that defines the scope of nursing practice and ensures patient safety.
What is false imprisonment in healthcare?
Restraining a patient without legal authorization or proper justification.
What constitutes malpractice in nursing?
Professional negligence where the nurse fails in their duty, breaches the duty, causes harm, and damages result.
What is the difference between libel and slander?
Libel is written defamation, while slander is spoken defamation.
What are the four elements of malpractice?
Duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages.
How can nurses minimize malpractice risks?
Proper documentation, following standards of care, obtaining informed consent, and attending to patient safety.
What is the role of informed consent in nursing?
Ensures patients understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a procedure before agreeing to it.
What is the definition of pain according to McCaffery?
Pain is “whatever the person says it is, existing whenever the person says it does.”
What is the difference between acute pain and chronic pain?
Acute pain is sudden, short-term, and resolves with healing. Chronic pain lasts over 6 months and is harder to treat.
What are the characteristics of neuropathic pain?
Neuropathic pain results from nerve damage, described as burning, numb, or tingling. Opioids are often ineffective.
What are some nonpharmacological pain relief methods?
Acupuncture, massage, TENS, heat and cold therapy, guided imagery, and cognitive-behavioral interventions.
What are some nonverbal signs of pain?
Elevated pulse, moaning, crying, grimacing, and changes in behavior or vital signs.
What are the harmful effects of unrelieved pain on the body?
Hyperglycemia, hypertension, pneumonia, urinary retention, decreased gastric motility, impaired immunity.
What is the role of complementary and alternative therapies (CAM) in pain management?
CAM therapies can reduce drug dependence, promote the release of endorphins, and are within the nurse’s scope of practice.
How do nociceptive and neuropathic pain differ by cause?
Nociceptive pain comes from tissue damage; neuropathic pain arises from nerve damage.
What is the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA)?
The PSDA of 1991 recognizes the patient’s right to make decisions regarding their own healthcare. Healthcare providers must inform patients about available treatments, benefits, risks, and alternatives.
What are the main requirements of the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA)?
- Provide written information on patients’ right to make decisions, including advance directives. 2. Document the presence or absence of advance directives. 3. Educate staff and the community on advance directives. 4. Follow state laws on advance directives. 5. Treat all patients equally regardless of the presence of advance directives.
What is EMTALA?
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act requires hospitals to provide emergency medical treatment to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay or legal status. Hospitals must screen, stabilize, and, if necessary, transfer patients.
What is an example of an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act?
A nurse with a hearing impairment uses a telephone amplifier to take prescriptions. Another nurse with diabetes is given consistent breaks and privacy to check blood sugar levels.
What regulation is violated by listing patients’ diagnoses on a whiteboard at the nurses’ station?
This is a violation of HIPAA, as it breaches patients’ privacy by publicly posting their information.
What are quasi-intentional torts?
Quasi-intentional torts involve actions that harm a person’s reputation, such as defamation of character. Defamation includes libel (written) and slander (spoken).
What are the four elements of defamation of character?
- False communication. 2. Communication made to another person. 3. Caused shame or ridicule. 4. Presented as a fact, not opinion.
What are 3 common causes of malpractice litigation?
- Failure to educate patients (e.g., discharge instructions). 2. Failure to follow standards of care, such as medication errors. 3. Failure to communicate (e.g., not notifying a provider of a patient’s condition).
What is nociceptive pain?
Pain that results from injury to body tissues and is often described as aching. It occurs when nociceptors respond to potentially damaging stimuli.
What is neuropathic pain?
Pain resulting from nerve damage, often described as burning, numbness, or “pins and needles.” It is chronic and occurs even without stimuli.
What are the four physiological processes involved in nociception?
- Transduction: Activation of nociceptors.
- Transmission: Pain signals sent to the brain via the spinal cord.
- Perception: The brain recognizes pain.
- Modulation: Pain signals are either enhanced or inhibited.
Describe the Gate-Control Theory of pain.
Pain perception involves an interplay between pain-producing and pain-inhibiting fibers. Stimulating non-painful fibers can “close the gate” to pain signals.
Example of a nursing intervention using Gate-Control Theory?
A sitz bath after childbirth, where warm water and pressure help block pain signals.
Should pain be the 5th vital sign? Why or why not?
Yes, to ensure pain is assessed regularly, but using open-ended questions like “Is anything bothering you?” may offer more insight into the patient’s overall condition.
What is Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM)?
Non-pharmacological therapies used to manage pain, such as acupuncture, massage therapy, TENS, and meditation.
What are key questions to ask when assessing pain?
- Pain location and intensity.
- Aggravating and alleviating factors.
- Timing and duration.
- Impact on activities of daily living.
- Psychological factors (e.g., depression).
How does a TENS unit relieve pain?
A TENS unit stimulates sensory fibers using electrical impulses, blocking pain signals from reaching the brain.
How does acupuncture relieve pain?
Acupuncture stimulates the endogenous analgesia system by inserting fine needles at specific points, helping to relieve pain.
What is distraction in pain management?
A cognitive-behavioral technique that shifts the patient’s focus away from pain by engaging their attention in another activity.
What is guided imagery?
A relaxation technique using calming imagery to promote a positive mental state, which helps alleviate pain and stress.
Last longer than six months and is constant or recurring with a mild-to-severe intensity
chronic pain
Pain in absence of an identifiable cause
idiopathic pain
Caused by tumor progression and related pathological process, invasive procedures and toxicities of treatment
cancer pain
Pain that occurs sporadically over an extended period of time
chronic episodic pain
Pain that comes from the bone, joint,muscle, skin, or connective tissue
somatic pain
Pain that arises from damage or inflammation of the tissue
nociceptive pain
Sensation of pain extending from initial site of injury to another body part
radiating
Pain resulting from stimulation of internal organs
deep or visceral pain
Pain that arises from abnormal or damaged nerves. Example: Phantom Limb Pain
neuropathic pain
Mental and physical freedom from tension or stress that provides individuals a sense of self-control. Example:Yoga
relaxation
Singing, praying, listening to music, humor, or laughter therapy, and playing games
distraction
Rubbing of the muscles and joints for relief of tension
massage
Massage, warm bath, ice bag, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
cutaneous stimulation
The most common and effective method of pain relief
analgesic
Used to treat mild to moderate pain
nonopioids
Psychoactive chemical that resembles morphine in its pharmacological effects
opioids
Delivery system that allows patients to self-administer opioids with minimal risk of overdose
patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)
Treatment of acute post-operative pain, labor and delivery pain, and chronic cancer pain
epidural analgesia
Physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury
pain
A state of adaptation in which exposure to a drug induces changes that wont allow the medication to work when the patient really needs it
drug tolerance
Medications or procedures that produce positive or negative effects in patients. Jeopardizes the trust between patients and caregivers
placebo
A condition that results when a person ingests a substance or engages in an activity that can be pleasurable but the continued use/ act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilites
addiction
A state of adaption that is manifested by a drug class specific withdrawal syndrome produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug, and/or administration of an antagonist
physical dependence
What are common signs of acute pain?
Guarding, sweating, tense appearance, and impacted vital signs.
How is chronic pain different from acute pain?
Chronic pain lasts for longer than 3 months, and vital signs may not be impacted.
What is breakthrough pain?
Breakthrough pain is an increase in pain despite the use of pain medication.
What is cancer pain associated with?
Cancer pain can be related to both the cancer itself and its treatments.
What does nociceptive pain result from?
Nociceptive pain results from injury to tissues and is typically described as aching or throbbing.
What is idiopathic pain?
Idiopathic pain is pain with no known cause or origin.
What are examples of pharmacological treatments for pain?
Nonopioids like acetaminophen, NSAIDs, opioids (e.g., morphine, Fentanyl), and adjuvants (antidepressants, anticonvulsants).
What are adjuvants in pain management?
Medications like antidepressants (amitriptyline), anticonvulsants (gabapentin), and topical analgesics (lidocaine).
Who should control a PCA pump?
Only the patient should press the button to control a PCA pump.
What is the purpose of a lockout interval in PCA pumps?
It prevents the patient from administering more medication than prescribed at set intervals.
What is the scientific term for pain sensation?
Nociception
What is the scientific term for temperature sensation?
Thermoception
What are the three types of nerve fibers involved in pain and temperature sensing?
A-beta (fast, large, myelinated)
A-delta (medium, less myelin)
C fibers (slow, unmyelinated).
b before d in speed
a is pointy, sharpest
c is curvy and dull
What is the function of A-beta fibers?
They send fast signals about changes in temperature or pain, helping with quick reactions.
What is the function of A-delta fibers?
They send medium-speed signals related to sharp pain.
What is the function of C fibers?
They send slow, lingering pain signals, such as a burning sensation after an injury.
What is the purpose of rubbing a painful area?
Rubbing stimulates touch receptors, which inhibits pain signals, reducing the perception of pain.
Through which nerve root do sensory signals, including pain, enter the spinal cord?
Dorsal (back) nerve root
What happens to pain signals once they enter the spinal cord?
They synapse in the dorsal gray horn and cross to the opposite side via decussation.
Which pathway do pain signals use to ascend the spinal cord?
The anterior spinothalamic tract
What is the role of the thalamus in pain perception?
The thalamus acts as a sorting center for sensory information, including pain, before sending it to the cerebral cortex.
Which pathway do touch signals follow?
The dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway, ascending on the same side before crossing in the brainstem.
How does touch inhibit pain according to gate theory?
Touch signals activate an inhibitory interneuron that reduces the transmission of pain signals in the spinal cord.
What are the differences between pain and touch signal pathways?
Pain crosses the spinal cord immediately, while touch travels up the same side before crossing in the brainstem.
What was the aim of the Pain as the Fifth Vital Sign (P5VS) Initiative?
To improve the quality of pain care across clinical settings by treating pain as a vital sign, including mandatory pain screening and pain-related questions on patient satisfaction surveys.
What was a major unintended consequence of the P5VS initiative?
The initiative may have contributed to the opioid epidemic by promoting the over-prescription of opioids without improving pain treatment outcomes.
Why is a unidimensional tool like the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) criticized for pain assessment?
It focuses only on pain intensity and does not account for other dimensions of pain, such as emotional and functional impact, failing to improve pain outcomes.
What is a multidimensional approach to pain assessment?
It includes measuring psychological, spiritual, socio-emotional pain, and its impact on daily functioning, often involving an inter-professional team to create comprehensive assessments.
What is the PEG pain scale and its purpose?
The PEG scale is a three-item tool that evaluates pain intensity and its interference with daily life, offering a more in-depth pain assessment than the NRS.
Why have patient satisfaction surveys contributed to opioid overprescription?
Pain management was tied to financial incentives through Medicare reimbursements, leading some providers to feel pressured to prescribe opioids to increase patient satisfaction.
What did the 2016 American Medical Association (AMA) vote regarding pain management?
The AMA voted to stop treating pain as the fifth vital sign, citing the potential role of the initiative in worsening the opioid crisis.
What is the Clinically Aligned Pain Assessment (CAPA) tool?
CAPA is a discussion-based assessment tool that focuses on how pain affects a patient’s quality of life, offering more detailed and effective pain management than the NRS.
What role do nurses play in multidimensional pain assessments?
Nurses ensure patients complete assessment tools before visits and help implement new technologies like tablets and apps for data collection.
How does the Overall Benefit of Analgesic Score (OBAS) compare to other pain assessment tools?
OBAS is more effective than unidimensional tools in evaluating pain treatment effects and monitoring opioid-related symptoms.
