Introduction
Pain management is a part of nursing practice as almost all health conditions are associated with pain of different intensity. Pain management is one of the priorities in cancer treatment as chemotherapy, which is still one of the primary treatment methods causes considerable pain and has adverse effects on patients’ quality of life (Shin, Mitchell, Mannion, Smolyn, & Meghani, 2019). The suggested study aims at addressing the following PICOT question: In cancer patients(P), how does Cannabidiol (CBD) (I) compared with opioids (C) affect pain(O) over chemotherapy treatment? (T)
Essence
It is essential to identify the most appropriate timeframe for the project in order to make sure that the study is effective and relevant. The timeframe of the study should be sufficient to obtain the target outcomes, but it cannot be too long as prolonged projects are related to the considerable financial investment. Healthcare facilities often have limited budgets, so expensive projects can be an unacceptable burden. However, it is also important to make sure that the project’s duration is sufficient for the occurrence of major outcomes of the suggested treatment. Moreover, the issue is rather urgent, and effective treatment strategies are needed in oncological departments.
The use of cannabis is characterized by quite rapid relief of pain and patients’ improved quality of life (Ramesh, 2017). It can be effective to implement the project for sixty days. One-month is rather a short period as such chronic conditions as cancer require the long-term use of certain medication. This period may be needed for the manifestation of side effects if any.
As far as the expected outcomes of the treatment are concerned, these are manifold as cannabinoids are linked to diverse effects on people’s health and quality of life. Clearly, the primary outcome to be expected is substantial pain relief. The most desirable outcome is complete relief, although limited effects can also be regarded as a positive result since current opioid-based treatment plans often reduce painful sensations partially (Palace & Reingold, 2019).
Cannabinoids have proved to be effective drugs in many clinical settings, especially when it comes to chronic conditions (Shin et al., 2019). The suggested treatment is likely to result in patients’ improved quality of life as they will be able to manage pain effectively.
The growing rate of people developing addictions to prescribed opioids is another problem the suggested treatment can address. Opioids are associated with the development of addictive symptoms within a short period of time (Palace & Reingold, 2019). Cancer patients usually need to manage pain for a substantial period or even their entire lives. The prolonged use of opioids can result in the development of severe addictions, mental health issues, and the overall deterioration of health (Kurtin & Fuoto, 2019). The use of Cannabidiol is linked to fewer side effects and prolonged painkilling effects.
The implementation of the project requires the most efficient methods to measure outcomes. Self-report pain questionnaires and cold pressor test are commonly used for evaluating pain and the effectiveness of pain management (Ramesh, 2017). Cold pressor tests enable investigators to identify patients’ pain tolerance and threshold, which is essential in analyzing patients’ self-report regarding pain intensity and frequency. These measurements will be utilized in this study due to their effectiveness and ease of conduction. These instruments are also associated with a considerable degree of reliability, which is important for the implementation of the project. Pain Treatment Satisfaction Scale (PTSS) is another tool that will be utilized to examine the effectiveness of the suggested pain management treatment (Ramesh, 2017).
Finally, the frequency of the use of the medication and dosage will be measured to identify the risks of developing an addiction. The exact effects of the medication, as well as patients’ overall satisfaction regarding the provided treatment, will be considered when estimating the efficiency of the Cannabidiol-based treatment.
Conclusion
On balance, the suggested project will last for two months and will be characterized by the use of multiple measurements. The 60-day treatment will be sufficient for the manifestation of positive and possible negative effects of the medication. Cold pressor test, self-report questionnaires, and PTSS will be utilized to measure the effectiveness of the treatment. It is expected that patients using Cannabidiol will experience less intense pain and will have a higher quality of life as compared to those using opioids. Cannabinoid-based treatment is also associated with a lower risk of the development of addictions.
References
Kurtin, S., & Fuoto, A. (2019). Pain management in the cancer survivor. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 35(3), 284-290. Web.
Palace, Z. J., & Reingold, D. A. (2019). Medical cannabis in the skilled nursing facility: A novel approach to improving symptom management and quality of life. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 20(1), 94-98. Web.
Ramesh, D. (2017). The role and clinical implications of the endocannabinoid system in pain processing. Topics in Pain Management, 33(2), 1-12. Web.
Shin, S., Mitchell, C., Mannion, K., Smolyn, J., & Meghani, S. (2019). An integrated review of cannabis and cannabinoids in adult oncologic pain management. Pain Management Nursing, 20(3), 185-191. Web.