Pediatric Procedural Pain Management Practices: A Cross-Sectional Review of Pain Management Interventions Used for Blood Draws

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Hospitalized children continue to experience procedural pain due to inconsistent implementation of pain interventions. OBJECTIVES: To explore the prevalence of needlesticks, pain management strategies, and child-caregiver satisfaction with these interventions. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using paired chart reviews and child-caregiver surveys. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A majority (68%) of children experienced needlesticks during their admission. Documented use of pharmacological interventions were low. Nursing documentation for any pain interventions was infrequent (21% of charts) and often inconsistent with participant reports. Almost all children (98%) reported receiving at least one pain intervention for their needlestick. Most participants perceived pain management interventions as effective (59%) and were satisfied with pain interventions (82%). CONCLUSION: Pain reduction strategies were rarely ordered/used, poorly documented, but were mostly perceived as effective. Participants tend to be satisfied with interventions. More research is needed to explore pain management experiences of children, caregivers, and nurses.