Diagnosis and management of endometriosis: The role of the advanced practice nurse in primary care

Alexandra J Mao, Joyce K Anastasi
Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners · 2010 · vol. 22(2) , pp. 109–116 · doi:10.1111/j.1745-7599.2009.00475.x · PMID:20132369 · W1979270392
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Advanced practice nurses in primary care play a vital role in diagnosing and managing endometriosis, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting women of reproductive age, by providing patient education, pain management, and infertility counseling.

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Abstract

PURPOSE: To discuss the etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of endometriosis for the advanced practice nurse (APN) in primary care. DATA SOURCES: Selected research, clinical studies, clinical practice guidelines, and review articles. CONCLUSIONS: Commonly encountered by the APN in primary care, endometriosis is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease characterized by endometrial lesions, cysts, fibrosis, or adhesions in the pelvic cavity, causing chronic pelvic pain and infertility in women of reproductive age. Because of its frequently normal physical examination findings, variable clinical presentations, and nonspecific, overlapping symptoms with other conditions, endometriosis can be difficult to diagnose. As there currently are no accurate noninvasive diagnostic tests specific for endometriosis, it is imperative for the APN to become knowledgeable about the etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and current treatment options of this disease. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The APN in primary care plays an essential role in health promotion through disease management and infertility prevention by providing support and much needed information to the patient with endometriosis. APNs can also facilitate quality of care and manage treatments effectively to improve quality of life, reduce pain, and prevent further progression of disease. Practice recommendations include timely diagnosis, pain management, infertility counseling, patient education, and support for quality of life issues.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715mesh:D017699endometriosischronic_pelvic_paininfertility

MeSH descriptors

Advanced Practice Nursing Endometriosis Endometriosis Nurse's Role Primary Health Care Advanced Practice Nursing Chronic Disease Diagnosis, Differential Disease Management Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Health Promotion Humans Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Medical History Taking Patient Education as Topic

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (29)

Cited by (33)

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