[Roles of outpatient nurses in the care of cancer patients receiving MS Contin tablets].
Pain relief is very important to improve the QOL of cancer patients. Accurate pain assessment and offering suitable drug information on MS Contin tablets (MSC) are important roles of outpatient nurses for the effective use of MSC. We examined the present status of symptom relief among cancer outpatients and from this discuss the practice of outpatient nursing. Forty-eight outpatients receiving MSC were interviewed by mail with regard to pain relief, the side effects of MSC, and the drug information they had been provided. Cancer pain was well controlled in 68% of outpatients by MSC, but MSC was not effective in 13%. Some side effects were observed in 68% of patients, 10% of which were poorly controlled. Sixty-five percent of patients were informed about MSC, but only 47% were informed about measures against these side effects. The following conclusions were reached: 1) MSC should be explained individually and repeatedly, 2) exact informations on a patient's status should be collected using scales and charts, 3) nurse charts should record when MSC is initially administered and when the dosage is changed, and 4) the cases of poorly controlled patients should be studied and specialists consulted if necessary.
Naito
A
A
Visiting Nurse Room, Niigata Cancer Center Hospital.
Sekiya
Y
Y
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D006801:Humans; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D009720:Nurse Clinicians; D010045:Outpatients; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013607:Tablets
D013607:Tablets; D009020:Morphine