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Paediatric Pain Management Experiences of Parents of Children in Botswana Referral Hospitals
Samuel T Matula1, Sharon Y Irving2,3, Andrew P Steenhoff4,5,6
1Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
Insights
Parents in Botswana desire greater involvement in their hospitalized children's acute pain management. Their experiences highlight challenges with current practices and underscore the need for improved pediatric pain care policies.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric healthcare
- Pain management
- Qualitative research
Background:
- Parental experiences and understanding of pediatric acute pain management are crucial for effective care.
- Limited research exists on parental perspectives in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore parents'/guardians' experiences and understanding of pediatric acute pain management practices for hospitalized children in Botswana.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive qualitative study was conducted.
- Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were performed with 19 parents/guardians in two public hospitals.
- Thematic analysis was used to analyze transcribed data.
Main Results:
- Six major themes emerged, including 'soldiering on with hope,' 'facing adversity,' 'acceptance to nonacceptance of the reality of care,' 'smiles to unending nightmares,' 'perceptions of child pain,' and 'guarded empathy.'
- Parents reported both positive and negative experiences with pediatric pain management.
- Parents recognize the need for adequate management of pediatric pain and desire to be involved in decision-making.
Conclusions:
- Parents/guardians in LMICs possess valuable insights into pediatric pain management and should be active partners in care decisions.
- Inadequately treated acute pediatric pain presents significant challenges, necessitating improved hospital policies for comprehensive pain management.
Aim:
To describe the experience and understanding of paediatric acute pain management practices by parents/guardians' of hospitalised children in Botswana.
Design:
Descriptive qualitative study.
Methods:
Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted in two public hospitals. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis.
Results:
A convenience sample of 19 parents/guardians, two fathers, one grandmother and 16 mothers who were recruited in 2019. Six major themes were identified with several subthemes. The themes were as follows: 'soldiering on with hope'-representing the parents/guardians overall general positive outlook; 'facing adversity'-highlighting parents/guardians responses to acute pain management; 'acceptance to nonacceptance of the reality of care'-parents/guardians view on the quality of pain care they received measured against their expectations; 'smiles to unending nightmares'-parents/guardians visualisation of the pain treatment outcomes; 'perceptions of child pain'-parents/guardians' knowledge of pain assessment and treatment strategies that they used or were being used by healthcare providers to their children and 'guarded empathy'-highlighting the intricacies of each child's response to pain. Parents/guardians in Botswana have both positive and negative experiences regarding child pain management in referral hospitals and recognise the need to adequately manage paediatric pain.
Patient Or Public Contribution:
The results show that parents/guardians in LMIC equally understand the children's pain management and should be involved in decision-making regarding pain management as equal partners. It further highlights the challenges faced by parents due to poorly and inadequately treated acute paediatric pain in hospital units and pushes for hospital policies that ensure that pain is adequately managed for all children.
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