Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain (PPOP)
Published on: January 27, 2010
Children's views on postsurgical pain in recovery units in Norway: A qualitative study
Anja Hetland Smeland1,2, Tone Rustøen2,3, Torgun Naess4,5
1Children's Surgical Department, Division of Head, Neck and Reconstructive Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, Norway.
Insights
Children often experience moderate to severe pain post-surgery and may not communicate their needs effectively. Improving pediatric pain management requires better assessment tools and patient information.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pain Management
- Qualitative Research
- Postoperative Care
Background:
- Children's postoperative pain is frequently underestimated and undertreated, leading to suffering and potential complications.
- Limited research exists on children's subjective experiences of pain and its management after surgery.
- Effective pain management is crucial for recovery and preventing long-term issues like chronic pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore children's experiences with pain and its management in the recovery unit after surgery.
- To gather insights into children's perceptions of pain and the effectiveness of interventions.
- To identify areas for improvement in pediatric postoperative pain care.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative, exploratory study adhering to Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines.
- Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 children aged 8-16 years in recovery units at two Norwegian university hospitals.
- Content analysis was employed to analyze interview data on children's pain experiences and management.
Main Results:
- Three key themes emerged: children's experiences of pain, their encounters with pain management, and their recommendations for future care.
- Approximately half of the children reported moderate to severe pain, with some experiencing pain beyond surgical sites and also reporting nausea and vomiting as painful.
- Children identified both pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods as helpful, offering specific suggestions for enhancing pain management strategies.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric postoperative pain management continues to be suboptimal, highlighting a need for enhanced strategies.
- Children's direct accounts offer valuable insights into their pain experiences and provide actionable recommendations for improving care.
- Findings underscore the importance of utilizing pain assessment tools, providing preparatory information, and optimizing medication administration in pediatric pain management.
Aims And Objectives:
To explore children's postsurgical experiences with pain and pain management in the recovery unit.
Background:
Children's pain is underestimated and undertreated. Untreated pain can cause unnecessary suffering, increased complication risks and may lead to chronic pain. Research exploring children's experiences with postoperative pain and pain management is limited.
Design:
A qualitative, exploratory study. The study complied with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).
Methods:
Children (N = 20), 8-16 years old, took part in semi-structured interviews about their experiences with pain and postoperative pain management while they were in a recovery unit. Data were collected at two university hospitals in Norway. Content analysis was used to analyse the data.
Results:
Three themes emerged from the interviews: "children's experiences of what felt unpleasant and painful," "children's experiences with pain management" and "children's recommendations for future pain management". About half of the children reported moderate to severe pain while in the recovery unit and they did not always tell their nurses when they had pain. They also reported experiencing pain in places other than their surgical wounds and stated that nausea and vomiting felt unpleasant and painful. The children indicated that pain medications and the use of nonpharmacological methods helped them cope with their pain and provided several recommendations about how to improve pain management.
Conclusion:
Paediatric postoperative pain management remains suboptimal. The children in our study provided useful information about their pain experiences, how to improve pain management and explained why they did not tell their nurses when they were in pain.
Relevance To Clinical Practice:
These findings should direct further improvements in paediatric postoperative pain management, such as increased use of pain assessment tools and preparatory information, as well as more appropriate administration of pain medications.
More Related Videos
07:14A Quantitative Sensory Testing Paradigm to Obtain Measures of Pain Processing in Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery
Published on: January 18, 2018
06:04Objective Nociceptive Assessment in Ventilated ICU Patients: A Feasibility Study Using Pupillometry and the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex
Published on: July 4, 2018
