BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pain was recognized as the fifth vital sign in 1996, and many nurses have difficulty in evaluating it. Since it is necessary to know the difficulties to use pain as a fifth vital sign, this study aims at acquiring a better knowledge about pain, assessment methods and strategies/ actions to guarantee its control. The objective of this study was to identify and analyze, in the Brazilian and international literature, the difficulties faced by nurses to use pain as the fifth vital sign and the mechanisms/actions adopted. CONTENTS: It is an integrative review in which the search for scientific articles was carried out in LILACS, BDENF, Scielo, Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science databases, using the descriptors nursing, pain, and pain and vital signs management in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. The selection criteria were the period from 1995 to 2017 in the three languages mentioned. After searching and reading the articles, nine studies were included. Two categories were listed after reading the articles: 1) difficulties faced by nurses to use pain as a fifth vital sign and 2) mechanisms/actions adopted to minimize the difficulties faced by nurses to use pain as a fifth vital sign. CONCLUSION: It was evidenced that it is important that nurses consider/assess pain as the fifth vital sign, therefore aiming at better care, which, consequently, will influence the quality of care provided, improving patient's health and quality of life.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Integrative and Complementary Health Practices are proposed as possibilities of intervention for women in minimizing the effects of pregnancy and changes associated with this period, especially low back pain. There is a need for health professionals to increase their technical-scientific knowledge in the control of low back pain in pregnant women, as well as to start viewing them as a model of care to be practiced. This study's objective was to analyze the use of integrative and complementary practices by health professionals in pregnant women with low back pain in the national and international literature. CONTENTS: Integrative review in which the search for articles was carried in the following databases: LILACS, BDENF, Scielo, Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science. The descriptors Pregnant Women, Obstetrics, Low Back, Back Pain and Complementary Therapies were used in Portuguese, English and Spanish. Articles included should have been published from 2006 to 2019 and in the three languages mentioned. After reading the articles, twelve studies were included. With the analysis, two categories were listed: 1) Integrative and Complementary Health Practices used by professionals in pregnant women with back pain and 2) Professionals who use Integrative and Complementary Health Practices in pregnant women with back pain. CONCLUSION: The use of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices by professionals can provide new opportunities, greater knowledge, better assistance to pregnant women, their satisfaction and well-being during pregnancy. Such benefits may
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