Korean J Child Health Nurs.  2000 Jun;6(2):144-157.

A survey on the nonpharmacologic nursing intervention for children in pain

• Yoon HB
• Cho KJ

Abstract

This study was done to understand nonpharmacologic pain management for pediateric patients and nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward it. The aim of this study was that which method did the patient's use according to the nurses' age, and how did they effectively use these methods in their field. The subjects of this study were 77 nurses working in the Pediatric unit in the Kyung Medical Center from September 2 to 15, 1999 using questionnaire form. The results of this study were as follows : 1. We divided the subjects into four groups : Younger than one year old, 1-6 years, 6-12 years, 12-18 years group. In the group younger one year old, most of the nurses participating in this study used speaking in soft quiet tones, supportive touch, toys, pacifiers. In the group of 1-6 years, they used speaking in soft quiet tones, toys, distracting attention, story talking, and visual stimulus. In the group of 6-12 years. they used pop-up books, providing information, cold therapy, speaking in soft quiet tones, supportive touch. In the group of 12-19 years, most of them used providing information, controling respiration and supportive touch. 2. The effective nursing intervention used in their field are speaking in soft quiet tones, pacifiers and nesting with blanket in the group of younger than one year old. Un the group of 1-6 years old, speaking in soft quiet tones, toys, and supportive touch were effective method in the control of nonpharmacologic pain management. In the group of 6-12 years old, story talking, supportive touch, and speaking in soft quiet tones were effective method and in the group of 12-18 years old, providing information, cold therapy and supportive touch were effectively used to control nonpharmacologic pain management. 3. To compare the general characteristics and non-pharmacologic pain nursing intervention, in the group of younger than one year, touching stimuli is widely used. In the groups of 1-6, and 6-12 years old, visual and audio method were widely used. In the group of 12-18 years old, sensitive intervention were used as well as education, information and guided imagery. In conclusion, there was no significant difference in nurses' demographic characteristics, child's age and nonpharmacologic pain management. There was significant difference only in the nurses working area, that is nurses working in the surgical department used more audio-visual-tactile pain management methods than medical department.

MeSH Terms

Child*
Cryotherapy
Education
Humans
Imagery (Psychotherapy)
Nursing*
Pacifiers
Pain Management
Play and Playthings
Respiration
United Nations
Child Health
Surveys and Questionnaires