Elsa M Taylor|Kristina Boyer|Fiona Campbell
Pain in Hospitalized Children: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Survey of Pain Prevalence, Intensity, Assessment and Management in a Canadian Pediatric Teaching Hospital
Starship Children's Health|Vancouver Native Health Society|Hospital for Sick Children
background pain underrecognised undertreated although standards exist pain management known improved care hospitalized children objectives benchmark pain prevalence pain intensity pain assessment documentation pharmacological treatment pain aim highlight areas good practice identify areas improvement inform development hospital standards education future audits research agenda methods present prospective crosssectional survey medical surgical inpatient units took place single day hospital sick children toronto ontario canadian tertiary quaternary pediatric hospital structured verbally administered questionnaire used obtain information patient demographics pain admission pain intensity admission pain treatment charts reviewed establish frequency documented pain assessment pain assessment tool used analgesics given subgroup analysis included age sex visible minority fluency english medical versus surgical services acute pain service input results conclusions two hundred fortyone 83 290 inpatients carergivers interviewed found 27 patients usually pain admission 77 experienced pain admission 23 moderate severe pain interview 64 moderate severe pain sometime previous 24 h analgesics largely intermittent singleagent although 90 patients found helpful fiftyeight per cent pain received analgesics preceding 24 h 25 received regular analgesia 27 children pain score documented preceding 24 h concluded pain infrequently assessed yet occurred commonly across age groups services often moderate severe although effective analgesic therapy largely singleagent intermittent widespread dissemination results professional groups resulted development continuous quality assurance program pain hospital sick children reaudit planned evaluate changes resulting new comprehensive pain strategies