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Parents' perceptions of their child's acute pain experience
Insights
Parents want more information and involvement during their child's painful medical procedures. Understanding parental concerns is key to reducing stress during pediatric hospitalizations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric healthcare
- Pain management
- Patient and family-centered care
Background:
- Painful procedures are a significant source of stress for pediatric patients.
- Parental stress is often linked to their child's acute pain experience during hospital admission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate parents' perceptions and concerns regarding their child's acute pain.
- To understand parental needs for information and involvement during painful pediatric procedures.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was administered to 71 parents of 62 children.
- Data collected included child's pain intensity, pain behaviors, and parental preparation and involvement.
Main Results:
- Most parents expressed a desire for increased information about procedures causing their child pain.
- A majority of parents sought greater participation in managing their child's pain during medical procedures.
Conclusions:
- Parental involvement and clear communication are crucial for managing pediatric procedural pain.
- Addressing parental needs can mitigate stress and improve the overall healthcare experience for children.
Abstract:
Painful procedures, experienced by many pediatric patients early in their admission, have been identified by parents in our clinical practice as a source of stress. The purpose of this study was to examine parents' perceptions and concerns about their child's acute pain experience. A convenience sample of 71 parents of 62 children was given a questionnaire that focused on the child's pain intensity, the behaviors that indicated the child was in pain, and the parents' preparation for and involvement in the child's pain experience. The majority of parents were asking for more information about and greater participation in procedures that caused their child pain.