Evidence Based Practice Related to Needle Related Procedural Pain
Management in Pediatric Patients
Introduction There have been many studies conducted on the management of pain in pediatric patients, these studies however, fail in comparison to the research …show more content…
In a study conducted in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at Mulago Hospital, health care providers responded to a self-administered questionnaire to provide information on comforting strategies in pediatric pain management (Katende, 2015). The study revealed, in terms of psychological interventions, that 90% of Health Care Providers greeted the child’s parent as an effort to comfort the child, while 72% greeted the child as a measure of comfort. Research has shown that by providing a warm greeting, the nurse is able to establish a friendly environment, and can begin establishing a therapeutic relationship with both the child and the parent or guardian (Katende, …show more content…
Current evidence based practice shows that these nursing interventions are completed relatively quickly and easily. By using psychological, cognitive-behavioral, and physiological interventions nurses are able to reduce needle related procedural pain. Evidence based practice stresses the importance of starting with a warm greeting and beginning to build a therapeutic relationship as the first step in reducing procedural pain (Katende, 2015). Nurses are able to further decrease pain and promote comfort by positioning the child in a comfortable position, either one of their own choosing or on their parent or guardian's lap (Katende, 2015). Research has indicated that to reduce pain most effectively child directed distraction should be used (ENA, n.d.). This could take the form of music, videos, or allowing the child to play while the procedure is completed, this can then be supplemented with either nurse or parent led coaching (ENA, n.d.). Evidence based practice and current research outlines other interventions such as hypnosis or demonstrating the procedure on a doll or stuffed animal (Katende, 2015). Which interventions are used, as well as the quantity of interventions used, should be tailored to the patient and left to the nurse’s clinical judgement. A study conducted on children from the ages of 3-11 who were undergoing an IV placement, examined the use of music to relieve stress and decrease the level of pain for the child. This study concluded that music was able