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[NEW ANALGESIC PROTOCOL FOR THE TREATMENT OF PAIN AND ANXIETY IN PEDIATRIC BURN PATIENTS - DEVELOPMENT,
Hila Alfassi1, Yair Shcachar1, Alex Margulis1
1Department of Plastic Surgery, Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel.
Insights
A new Burn Analgesic Treatment Protocol effectively reduced the need for sedation in pediatric burn patients. This protocol enhanced patient safety and improved the medical team's experience during burn care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Burn Care
- Pain Management
Background:
- Burns are common and painful injuries in children.
- Sedation for pain management in pediatric burns carries risks and side effects.
- A novel Burn Analgesic Treatment Protocol was developed to minimize sedation needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a new analgesic protocol for pediatric burn patients.
- To quantify the reduction in sedation requirements for burn treatment.
- To assess the impact of the protocol on the treating medical team's experience.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of pediatric burn patient treatment regimens before and after protocol implementation.
- Comparison of sedation rates between the new protocol group and a control group.
- Surveys administered to nursing staff to gauge satisfaction with the protocol.
Main Results:
- 87 patients received the new protocol, 46 served as controls.
- Sedation rates were significantly lower in the new protocol group (18% vs. 30%, p=0.057).
- Nurses reported high satisfaction with the protocol, averaging 4.5/5.
Conclusions:
- The Burn Analgesic Treatment Protocol is effective in managing pediatric burn pain.
- The protocol successfully minimizes the need for sedation, enhancing patient safety.
- Implementation of the protocol led to increased overall patient safety and fewer complications.
Introduction:
Burns are one of the most common and painful injuries among babies and children. The pain endured during and in between treatment can be minimized with sedation. These sedations, however, are not without side effects and risks. Given the potential complications, we devised a Burn Analgesic Treatment Protocol that incorporates safe analgesia during burn treatment and throughout the day, thus minimizing the necessity for sedations.
Aims:
Assessment of the effectiveness of the analgesic protocol by quantification of overall number of sedations needed for burn treatment and by assessment of the overall experience of the treating medical team exposed to burn care before and after implementation of the protocol.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis of analgesic treatment regimens among admitted pediatric burn patients both before and after the implementation of our analgesic protocol was performed. Furthermore, questionnaires were given to the nurses of the treating medical team in order to better assess overall experience with the new analgesic protocol.
Results:
A total of 87 patients were treated with the new analgesic protocol and 46 patients served as the control group. A significantly lower number of sedations were performed in the group treated with the new protocol compared to the control group (18% vs 30%, p=0.057). The questionnaires filled out by the treating nurses revealed an average score of 4.5 (between 1 - 5), indicating high satisfaction with the protocol.
Conclusions:
Our new analgesic protocol allows for highly effective treatment of burn wounds while minimizing the necessity for sedations, thus increasing overall patient safety and reducing potential complications.
