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Pediatric nurses' postoperative pain management practices: An observational study
Author(s) -
Twycross Alison,
Finley G. Allen,
Latimer Margot
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal for specialists in pediatric nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1744-6155
pISSN - 1539-0136
DOI - 10.1111/jspn.12026
Subject(s) - observational study , medicine , physical therapy , pain management , postoperative pain , medline , anesthesia , pathology , political science , law
Purpose This study was an in‐depth examination of pediatric postoperative pain care. Design and Methods Participant observational data were collected on the care of 10 children. Particular attention was paid to actions when pain scores were ≥5 and to the relationship between pain scores and medications administered. Results A pattern of care emerged of giving pain medications regularly even if they were prescribed pro re nata . Actions when pain scores were ≥5 varied. Recorded pain scores rarely guided treatment choices. Practice Implications The use of pain scores to guide treatment choices needs further debate. Future research should explore the implications of divorcing treatment from pain scores on children's pain experience.