Pain Evaluation in the Paediatric Emergency Department: Differences in Ratings by Patients, Parents and Nurses

Beata Rybojad, Daniel Sieniawski, Paweł Rybojad, Marzena Samardakiewicz and Anna Aftyka
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Beata Rybojad: Clinic of Anaesthesiology and Paediatric Intensive Care, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Daniel Sieniawski: Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland
Paweł Rybojad: Chair and Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
Marzena Samardakiewicz: Chair and Department of Psychology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland
Anna Aftyka: Department of Anaesthesiological and Intensive Care Nursing, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-9

Abstract: The pain experienced by paediatric patients is rarely evaluated in emergency departments. The aim of the present study was to compare the degree of conformity in patients’ pain severity when assessed by themselves (if possible), their parents and a triage nurse trained in pain evaluation. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a tertiary paediatric emergency department in Eastern Poland involving children (aged six months to eighteen years), their parents and nurses. The patients had their pain assessed while collecting a medical history. For children ≥ four years of age, the Numerical Rate Scale was used by patients, parents and nurses to evaluate pain. Patients under four years of age were evaluated by parents and nurses using the FLACC scale. Results: Eighty patients and their parents were enrolled in the study. For children ≥ four years, patients rated their pain significantly higher than both their parents ( p = 0.03) and nurses ( p < 0.001), with the latter group producing the lowest scores. For children under four years of age, parental pain assessments did not significantly differ from those of nurses. Conclusion: Compared to the patients themselves and their parents, nurses tended to assign lower pain scores for children. Pain should be assessed on admission to the ED and, whenever possible, by the patients themselves.

Keywords: emergency department; pain scales; paediatric pain evaluation; self-report (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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