The use of 'brutacaine' in Danish emergency departments

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Pediatric Care
• Pain Management

Background:

• Pediatric procedural pain and sedation are critical aspects of emergency care.
• Current practices in Danish emergency departments (EDs) for managing pediatric procedural pain and sedation are not well-defined.
• There is a potential gap in addressing the needs of children undergoing painful procedures in emergency settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the unmet need for pediatric procedural pain management and sedation in Danish emergency departments.
• To assess current practices regarding physical restraint and procedural sedation for children in these settings.
• To identify the perceived need for improved pediatric pain management strategies among healthcare professionals.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted across all 21 emergency hospitals in Denmark.
• Data were collected on the utilization of physical restraint and procedural sedation for pediatric patients.
• Healthcare professionals' perceptions of the need for better pain management and sedation were surveyed.

Main Results:

• Physical restraint was employed in 80% of surveyed departments during painful pediatric procedures.
• Procedural sedation for children was utilized in only 33% of the emergency departments.
• A significant majority (73%) of participants believed there was a need for enhanced pediatric pain and sedation management.

Conclusions:

• There is a clear unmet need for improved pediatric procedural pain management in Danish emergency departments.
• Current practices indicate a reliance on physical restraint, highlighting the need for alternative, evidence-based approaches.
• The development of Scandinavian guidelines for pediatric pain management and sedation in emergency departments is warranted.