Post-Discharge Pain Experience Following Primary Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty in Patients Whose Primary Language is Not English
By Yvonne Ramlall, RPN
Summary
Post-discharge pain following total hip or total knee arthroplasty is not well understood in patients whose primary language is not English. The objective of this study was to examine pain in patients whose primary language is not English following discharge from acute care to home or to a rehabilitation unit from post-operative days 5 to 9. Resuls: During the study period, 22 patients met the study criteria, 19 patients consented to participate, and 18 patients completed the study. Participants were asked to complete the Pain Self-Assessment Form (PSAF) for 5 days after discharge from acute care. The response rate was 95% (n = 18). The most common languages spoken were Greek (n = 7) and Italian (n = 5). Mean daily pain scores ranged from 4.4 to 5.1 out of 10. The most commonly used analgesics at home included oxycodone, acetaminophen, and hydromorphone. The most commonly reported adverse/side effect was nausea (n = 9). When asked what could be done to improve pain management, patients reported that they would have liked more information regarding managing their pain from a translator, including information regarding when to use analgesics.
The full research article is available at: International Journal of Orthopaedic and Trauma Nursing (2014) 18, 60?67
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