Patients with cancer commonly experience pain, which typically is controlled pharmacologically. Despite advances in pain management, pain continues to be undertreated. Nonpharmacologic measures may effectively manage pain but often are overlooked or underused. Nurses who are familiar with simple, noninvasive, nonpharmacologic measures, such as patient positioning, thermal measures, massage ther...

UNLABELLED We assessed the efficacy of nonpharmacologic techniques to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) by systematic review. These studies included acupuncture, electroacupuncture, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, acupoint stimulation, and acupressure. Of the 24 randomized trials retrieved by a search of articles indexed on the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases (1980-1997...

OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of nonpharmacologic approaches to pain relief during labor, according to their endogenous mechanism of action, on obstetric interventions, maternal, and neonatal outcomes. DATA SOURCE Cochrane library, Medline, Embase, CINAHL and the MRCT databases were used to screen studies from January 1990 to December 2012. STUDY SELECTION According to Cochrane criteria,...

The mainstay of treatment for atrial fibrillation, AF, remains pharmacologic control, either by maintaining sinus rhythm or by controlling the ventricular rate and allowing AF to continue. In patients where pharmacologic therapy i not effective, not tolerated or contraindicated, nonpharmacologic treatment may be beneficial. In the last two decades the number of nonpharmacologic treatment option...

BACKGROUND The conduct of randomized, controlled trials of nonpharmacologic treatments presents specific challenges that are not adequately addressed in trial reports. OBJECTIVE To develop an extension of the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) Statement for trials of nonpharmacologic treatments. DESIGN A consensus meeting was organized to develop an extension of the CONSOR...

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a distressing symptom that affects the quality of life (QOL) of patients with breast cancer and their families. The effectiveness of pharmacologic therapies alone has not been sufficient in the management of CRF; therefore, a combination of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches is justified. The purpose of this article is to critically review the literatu...