Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
May 13, 2025
Michael A Miller, Lichuan Ye, Maria van Pelt et al.
3 citations
An integrative review of 17 studies involving 1,454 surgical patients examined whether mindfulness can reduce pain and anxiety during the perioperative period and whether it is linked to lower opioid use after surgery. Twelve studies focused on postoperative pain: 11 reported that mindfulness decreased pain scores, especially after postoperative day seven. Of seven studies measuring opioid consumption, two found an association between mindfulness and reduced use of opioid pain medications. Five studies focused on preoperative anxiety, and two showed a statistically significant reduction in anxiety with mindfulness. The evidence suggests mindfulness notably reduces postoperative pain beyond one week, but support for reducing opioid use or preoperative anxiety is limited and mixed. More research is needed.
Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
March 12, 2025
Vincenzo Damico, Margherita Milani, Liana Murano
3 citations
An eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program, added to usual care, reduced pain intensity and pain interference in chronic pain patients compared with usual care alone. At 6 months, the MBSR group reported significantly less worst pain in the last 24 hours, less pain right now, and less interference with mood, normal work, and relationships. At 13 months, improvements persisted for worst pain, average pain, pain right now, and interference with mood and sleep. Perceived quality of life also differed between groups at 13 months (55.9 vs 58.7). The findings suggest MBSR benefits chronic pain management beyond standard care.
Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
November 18, 2025
Erika Grattidge, Derrick Glymph, Virginia C Simmons et al.
Among 21 Veterans with chronic pain undergoing complex surgery, a structured low-dose ketamine infusion program (0.2 mg/kg/hr for 24-72 hours) was associated with safe and sustained improvements in postoperative recovery. Mean Quality of Recovery-15 scores rose from 84 (poor recovery) on day 2 to 124 (good recovery) by day 30, with 80% of participants achieving a clinically meaningful improvement of at least six points. No ketamine-related adverse events were reported. The program was successfully implemented across multiple postoperative and inpatient settings using structured nursing education and standardized monitoring, demonstrating the feasibility of delivering ketamine infusions outside intensive care in a Veterans Affairs hospital.