Management of pain in children by paediatric nurses in Eastern Turkey

Abstract

The most pressing issue in the assessment of children is that they are unable to explain their pain. Effective pain management requires that nurses have accurate knowledge and skills. This aim of this study was to explain the assessment and management of pain in children by paediatric nurses in eastern Turkey. This descriptive cross-sectional study included 180 paediatric nurses. It intended to reach paediatric nurses between April 22, 2013 and June 1, 2013. The data were analysed using SPSS 22.0 and evaluated by descriptive statistics, and the chi-squared test was used to determine the statistical differences between categorical variables. The mean ages of the nurses were 26.6±6.46. The nurses reported the methods they used to assess pain in children as evaluating the behavioural and physiological changes (78.8%). They reported their primary intervention for pain management in children as consulting the doctor (50%). Commonly used non-pharmacological interventions were massage (40%), giving the child a toy (23.4%), storytelling (14.4%), and playing a game (4.4%). In this study, paediatric nurses frequently did not use the pain assessment scale and used non-pharmacological interventions for pain management. Optimal pain management is the right of all patients and the responsibility of all health professionals. Nurses especially should use evidence-based assessments for children's pain. Moreover, it is also necessary to conduct further studies on non-pharmacological interventions.