Abstract
Approximately 100,000 individuals live with sickle cell disease (SCD) in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). SCD is a genetic blood disorder (CDC, 2016) characterized by acute painful episodes. According to Nouraie & Gordeuk (2015) patients with SCD visit the emergency department 190,000 times annually and are admitted in the hospital 110,000 times per year. Indeed, due to advance medical treatment of patients with SCD most patients now live beyond infancy into adulthood. However, most adults with SCD pain are undertreated and underserved. Also, research indicate that little treatment technique is known about the management of pain in adults with SCD compared to much that is known about the treatment of pain in children and adolescent with SCD. Consequently, it is essential that health care providers, especially advanced practice nurses (APN), equip themselves with the knowledge and skills necessary to appropriately provide supportive, compassionate and therapeutic care to these vulnerable patient population. Therefore, this paper will discuss the concept of pain management in adult patient with SCD, the dimension and characteristics of pain …show more content…
However, most adults with acute or chronic pain associated with sickle cell disease are undertreated or underserved. Consequently, these patients end up spending a great part of their life in the hospital, living a low quality of life and most of them loose work productivity. Indeed, sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major public health concern. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2016), it is estimated that about 100,000 people in the United States are living with SCD and the disease occurs mostly among African origins. In addition, about 1 in every 365 black children is born with SCD (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [NHLBI],
Approximately 100,000 individuals live with sickle cell disease (SCD) in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). SCD is a genetic blood disorder (CDC, 2016) characterized by acute painful episodes. According to Nouraie & Gordeuk (2015) patients with SCD visit the emergency department 190,000 times annually and are admitted in the hospital 110,000 times per year. Indeed, due to advance medical treatment of patients with SCD most patients now live beyond infancy into adulthood. However, most adults with SCD pain are undertreated and underserved. Also, research indicate that little treatment technique is known about the management of pain in adults with SCD compared to much that is known about the treatment of pain in children and adolescent with SCD. Consequently, it is essential that health care providers, especially advanced practice nurses (APN), equip themselves with the knowledge and skills necessary to appropriately provide supportive, compassionate and therapeutic care to these vulnerable patient population. Therefore, this paper will discuss the concept of pain management in adult patient with SCD, the dimension and characteristics of pain …show more content…
However, most adults with acute or chronic pain associated with sickle cell disease are undertreated or underserved. Consequently, these patients end up spending a great part of their life in the hospital, living a low quality of life and most of them loose work productivity. Indeed, sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major public health concern. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2016), it is estimated that about 100,000 people in the United States are living with SCD and the disease occurs mostly among African origins. In addition, about 1 in every 365 black children is born with SCD (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [NHLBI],