Acute pain treatment of children in the Danish emergency departments.

INTRODUCTION

Preconditions for good pain treatment in children include education and guidelines. This study investigated whether the guidelines on acute pain treatment of children in Danish emergency departments reflected the national guideline, examined the knowledge and use of guidelines, and explored the approach adopted to treating pain in children.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study consisted of two parts. Part I compared the guidelines in each emergency department with a national guideline; Part II was a structured interview with the emergency department doctors regarding their approach to treating pain in children.

RESULTS

Several guidelines did not include pain assessment, dose schedules and non-pharmacological methods as recommended in the national guideline. The doctors knew where to find the guidelines, but a considerable share of them did not use the guidelines. Most doctors felt competent in treating children, but reported a reluctance to using opioids and reported using pain assessment irregularly.

CONCLUSION

The Danish guidelines on acute pain treatment of children in many emergency departments vary compared with the national guideline. We found that several doctors do not use the guidelines, are reluctant to use opioids and do not use pain assessment. We suggest a thorough implementation of a national guideline in emergency departments to standardise pain treatment.

FUNDING: none.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.