The experience of pain is at the same time universal yet unique to every individual. It is a multifaceted subjective experience, so it can be challenging to assess and manage. This is especially true in the pediatric patient population, some of who are not yet verbal. Yet pediatric pain that is not adequately addressed can be detrimental to physical, emotional and academic development. It is critical that healthcare providers be able to evaluate pain in children and provide the means to alleviate it. This series provides nurses and other healthcare professionals with an understanding of pediatric pain and provides an overview of the assessment and treatment techniques used to alleviate it.
Pediatric Pain Management: Understanding Pediatric Pain
This program provides nurses and other healthcare professionals with an understanding of pediatric pain.
Objectives: After completing this course, the learner should be able to:
- Define types of pain Identify the main misconceptions about pain among pediatric patients
- Differentiate between acute, chronic and procedural pain
- Distinguish between nociceptive pain and neuropathic pain
- Explain the different ways in which children understand, process and express pain
Pediatric Pain Management: Assessing Pediatric Pain
This program provides an overview of the assessment of pediatric pain.
Objectives: After completing this course, the learner should be able to:
- Describe an evidence-based assessment of pediatric pain
- Take a pain history
- Explain the use of regular pain evaluations using objective criteria and/or standardized scales
- Describe the use of the PQRST mnemonic and other standard methods to assess the child's pain
- Use both non-verbal and self-reporting tools to measure a child's pain
- Describe physiologic signs of pediatric pain
- Utilize behavioral observation scales to assess pediatric pain