The Perceptions of Caregivers in Procedural Pain Management for Hospitalized Children

Pei-rong Chang, RN, MS, Department of Nursing, Foo-Yin University, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan, Su-Fen Cheng, RN, PhD, Department of Nursing, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan, Shih-Ping Lin, RN, BSN, Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan, Shih-Hsien Kuo, RPh, PhD, Basic Medical Science Education Center, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan, Taiwan, and Shin-Yi Kuo, RN, MS, Department of Nursing, Fooyin University Hospital, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan.

Most children describe the procedural pain as a distressful/painful experience, especially for younger children. Some researchers in Taiwan used local analgesia, especially EMLA, to relieve children’s pain. However, caregiver’s perception of managing their children’s procedural pain, especially using local analgesia, is unknown. Objective

The purpose of this study was to describe caregivers’ perceptions of managing children’s procedural pain in general and specific emphasizing the used of local analgesia (ex. EMLA). Methods
A qualitative approach was used to understand caregivers’ perceptions toward procedural pain. A total of 68 caregivers whose children had intravenous injection were invited to participate in this study. A semi-structure interview addressed the perception of management procedural pain. Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Krippendorff’s (1980) content analysis was used to guide the data analysis.
Results
Three central themes were revealed, including perception of procedural pain, essential of management of procedural pain, and perception of local analgesia used. Most caregivers described more fear than hurt of their children’s procedural pain. Surprisingly, more than 50% of caregivers rejected to use local analgesia, they were worried to develop addiction from using the local analgesia. Distraction and other non-pharmacology method were suggested to relief children’s pain.
Conclusions
Caregivers view procedural pain is essential for each child; however, they desire using non-pharmacology related methods to relieve children’s procedural pain. Development of psychological pain relieve method is demanded in future study.

Learning Objective #1: to understand caregivers’ perceptions of managing children’s procedural pain
Learning Objective #2: to understand caregivers’ perceptions of the use of local analgesia (ex. EMLA)