Pain management interventions in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Intensive Care
• Pain Management
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Pain management in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) is critical for patient recovery.
• Existing research on pain interventions in PICUs needs comprehensive mapping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map existing research on pain management interventions utilized in PICUs.
• To identify the types and scope of interventions studied for pediatric pain in critical care settings.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review of the research literature was performed.
• Five major databases were searched from inception to the end of 2015.
• Reference lists of relevant articles were also reviewed for additional studies.

Main Results:

• Out of 7046 identified articles, 27 were included in the review.
• The majority of studies (63%) were non-experimental; 37% were experimental, including 30% randomized controlled trials.
• Most research focused on pharmacological interventions (78%) and post-operative pain management (67%).

Conclusions:

• Current research on PICU pain management is dominated by pharmacological approaches and post-operative pain.
• There is a need for more rigorous research, particularly clinical trials, to evaluate the efficacy of various pain management strategies.
• Further investigation into both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions is warranted to optimize pain management in critically ill children.