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Documenting and treating acute pain in children
Anne Price1, Jocelyn Ong, Grant Isedale
1Campbelltown Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales.
Summary
Developing emergency department (ED) pain management protocols for children significantly improved pain score documentation and appropriate pain relief. This protocol implementation enhanced pediatric pain care in the ED setting.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Clinical Protocol Development
- Pain Management
Background:
- Inconsistent and inadequate pain management for children in emergency departments (EDs) is a recognized issue.
- Lack of standardized protocols contributes to variability in pediatric pain care.
- Effective pain assessment and treatment are crucial for pediatric emergency care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the development and implementation of a pediatric pain management protocol in an Australian ED.
- To evaluate the impact of the protocol on pain score documentation and appropriateness of pain relief.
- To provide a model for improving pediatric pain management in emergency settings.
Main Methods:
- Development of a specific pain management protocol for pediatric patients in the ED.
- Implementation of the protocol across the emergency department.
- Audit of pain score documentation before and after protocol implementation.
- Assessment of the appropriateness of pain relief administered based on documented pain scores.
Main Results:
- Significant improvement in the documentation of pediatric pain scores post-protocol implementation.
- Increased appropriateness of pain relief interventions provided to children.
- Enhanced adherence to pain management guidelines within the ED.
Conclusions:
- A structured pain management protocol is effective in improving pediatric pain care in the emergency department.
- Protocol implementation leads to better pain assessment and more appropriate treatment.
- This approach can serve as a benchmark for other EDs seeking to optimize pediatric pain management.
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