Assessment and management of pain in children: perception of the nursing team

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the perception of the nursing team regarding the assessment and management of pain performed in a pediatric unit. This is a qualitative, observational, prospective, and cross-sectional study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the nursing team from a pediatric unit of an university hospital in the city of Londrina - Paraná, in the period from June to August 2009, and analyzed according to Mayan. In total, 31 professionals of the nursing team participated in this study, 4 nurses and 27 from other nursing categories. It was verified that less than half of the professionals attended training courses for pain assessment often carried out in this hospital. However, most stated to perform the assessment of pain as the 5th vital sign for all children. The facial scale is the most used by the team, although only 44% had correctly described the technique of use. Other professionals also reported that they did not use any scale to assess pain. The main difficulty pointed by the nursing team was regarding assessment of pain in infants. Regarding the unit's assessment of pain in general, most of the professionals think that they need to improve, reporting that other professionals do not assess pain all the times, or do it incorrectly. Nevertheless, everyone considered pain assessment of major importance in childcare. It is concluded that there is still a lack of knowledge and awareness about child's pain in the nursing team.