Pain management in the oncology unitSay no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Pain is one of the most distressing symptoms of cancer. It affects the quality of life of patients, their families and their caregivers. Moderate to severe pain is very common and its prevalence increases throughout the course of the disease (Kwon, 2014). Although cancer pain is generally adequately controlled through pain management for most patients, the problem continues to be undertreated due to several factors (Adam et al., 2017). This essay presents the case encountered during a student clinical internship in the oncology department where Mia (pseudonym), a 29-year-old woman, came for a routine check-up after having undergone a bilateral mastectomy approximately 2 years ago and since then. she received a combination of external beam radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal agents. At this time, Mia was referred to the oncology department following a routine breast screening ordered by her GP due to her extensive family history of breast cancer, with her mother having been diagnosed when she was 30 years old. Following her operation, Mia suffered from chronic pain. even though adequate pain management was provided to him. After examination, it was found that she had lymphedema formation in the armpit. Among women worldwide, cancer is the leading cause of death in high-income as well as middle-income countries. Furthermore, the cancer burden is continuously increasing in countries of all income types due to the increasing number of aging people. Throughout the course of cancer, from diagnosis and treatment to long-term management, patients face multiple factors that impact their professional, personal, physical and emotional state (Torre, Islami , Siegel, Ward and Jemal, 2017). This trial will include six criteria that could be used to improve the learning/information journey for new graduates when dealing with patients experiencing cancer pain after surgery. The six domains include: Patient empowerment, use of integrative therapies postoperatively, body image after mastectomy, pain management through exercise training, pain assessment, and pain due to lymphedema formation. Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of death among women worldwide (Torre et al., 2017). Mia had many personal problems that had a big impact on her life. Aside from her obesity, Mia is physically inactive, suffers from type 2 diabetes mellitus, and after her mother's death, she struggled with alcohol abuse. According to Torre et al. (2017), factors such as family history of the disease, reproductive factors that influence exposure to endogenous estrogens, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, excess weight, high-dose chest radiation and the use of exogenous hormones, have a strong link with breast cancer. Pain management is a very important aspect of the quality of life of a seriously ill person. Around 60% of women suffer from persistent pain after breast cancer treatment, which is often poorly recognized and therefore often undertreated. Inadequate pain assessment as well as a lack of knowledge about the pain mechanism are among common obstacles to adequate management of pans (Schou Bredal, Smeby, Ottesen, Warncke, & Schlichting, 2014). Symptoms and deficienciessensory or motor problems such as weakness, pain, tightness, nerve palsies, poor range of motion, changes in movement patterns or swelling of the arm, shoulder and/or breast on the affected side are the problems that may occur when breast cancer (Hayes et al., 2012). The root of cancer pain is quite complex and it occurs due to problems such as edema around a tumor, the tumor itself, or metastases to a nerve, tissue, or bone. It may even be linked to the cancer treatment itself. , Mia suffered from chronic pain that did not seem to be getting better, even though adequate pain management was provided. On a scale of 10, she rated her pain between 6 and 7. She says the pain gets worse with elevation or carrying a certain weight (around 5 kg). She describes the pain as being worse when she lies down or performs repetitive movements. She was examined by the pain specialist and he concluded that she had previously suffered from underlying breast pain which had increased in intensity following her breast surgery. An analysis conducted by Langford et al. (2015) concluded that women who experienced preoperative breast pain were at risk for more severe postoperative pain, sensory loss at the breast scar, impaired shoulder flexion, and poorer well-being. be physical. An article by Hayes et al. (2012) studied 7 cohort studies involving population samples at 6, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months after breast diagnosis/surgery and the table below presents the results. Cancer pain persists even 36 months after breast cancer diagnosis/surgery, with 19% to 54% experiencing at least one symptom. Poor cancer pain management is associated with decreased quality of life and impaired daily functioning. This frequently leads to increased emergency room visits and sometimes hospitalizations. Additionally, inadequate pain management can lead to discontinuation of cancer treatments (Jacobsen & Snyder, 2018). Below is some information that newly qualified nurses might use when undertaking Mia's care. Patient Empowerment Patient empowerment in the management of cancer pain is a very important aspect of their care and has been highlighted as playing a key role in pain management. This gives the patient the opportunity to take control of their care without their doctor passing judgment, but to understand their needs and do what is in their best interest. An integrative review of several articles conducted by Te Boveldt et al. (2014) suggested that a cyclical model seemed more appropriate in cancer pain management. He pointed out that previous research focused either on pain treatment provided by healthcare providers or on active patient participation. Te Boveldt et al. (2014) suggested the following model and recommended that active patient participation as well as healthcare professional-induced pain treatment should be considered when it comes to pain management. Use of integrative therapies postoperatively. Breast cancer survivors commonly use integrative therapies for many reasons, including improving quality of life while managing the side effects of cancer treatment. Patients using behavioral therapies, such as mindfulness, meditation, relaxation and yoga, showed strong improvement in mood against a backdrop of anxiety and depression during cancer treatment. Massages and stress management forimproving energy and mood were least recommended. During radiation and chemotherapy, music therapy is recommended for short-term anxiety relief. To improve depression and mood during radiation therapy and after treatment, meditation is recommended. Improvement programs such as energy, sleep, and healing touch may be considered when treating pain during chemotherapy. Meditation has shown a strong link with improved quality of life (Greenlee et al., 2014). Body Image After Mastectomy This is a very sensitive issue when it comes to a woman's body image, especially after cancer surgery. Patients are very concerned about their health, but also worry about how their body image will change afterwards. When nurses care for women (regardless of their age), it can sometimes be quite a delicate subject to discuss. A study conducted by Grogan and Mechan (2017) on 49 women aged 29 to 53 (8 had bilateral surgery and 41 had unilateral mastectomies) to examine the positive and negative impact of mastectomy on their body image. The women's priority was survival and at the time of diagnosis, they were more concerned about their health than their body image afterwards. However, some women, especially those who had a unilateral mastectomy, were very unhappy because their bodies were no longer symmetrical. Mentally, they were not ready to accept that a part of their body, which seemed damaged, would be removed. They felt lost and disconnected from themselves. Pain management through physical activity The prevalence of pain in breast cancer patients is high and is almost insufficiently treated because either the intensity of the pain is not identified or there is an underestimation of the severity of the pain. Pain decreases with physical training, which increases cardiorespiratory fitness, strength, flexibility and quality of life, thereby decreasing length of hospital stay, fatigue, depression, anxiety, disorders sleep, stress, nausea and vomiting (Reis et al., 2018). A controlled pilot study carried out by Reis et al. (2018) on 28 patients aged 30 to 59 years underwent a 12-week training course, including 60-minute sessions of resistance training and exercises and two sessions of 3 sets of 20 seconds of flexibility training by week. The results showed that the combined training decreased total pain intensity, pain points and pain interference in patients' daily lives, as well as increased flexibility, oxygen consumption and strength. Pain Assessment Cancer-related pain is difficult to assess and control due to its subjective nature. , its magnitude and complexity of cancer. When a proper assessment is not undertaken or performed incorrectly, pain control is inadequate. A comprehensive cancer pain assessment focuses on the location, quality and type of pain, pain history (duration, onset and progression), intensity, temporality (intermediate, constant or breakthrough) and the radiation of pain to other parts of the body. A comprehensive pain assessment at regular intervals is essential for optimal pain management. This can help in obtaining an adequate assessment and thus appropriate treatment can be offered, which can help improve physical functioning, psychological and emotional state, performance of activities of daily living and improvement in social interactions. . If the verbal assessment is not..