title: A snapshot of children's postoperative tonsillectomy outcomes at home.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe home outcomes of pain, medication use, fluid intake, and emesis 24 hr after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. The theory of unpleasant symptoms provided a conceptualizing framework.
  
  
  METHODS
  A secondary analysis was conducted. Outcomes for 76 children were recorded on a home diary that included: self-reported pain, analgesic use, fluids ingested, and emesis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children reported moderate pain. Children who received analgesics received less than recommended standards. Only 11% of the children drank the recommended fluids, and 31% of the children vomited at home.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parents need to become partners in pain management. Recommend multimodal discharge teaching and follow-up phone call at home to ensure adequate analgesic administration and fluid intake.
authors.affiliation: Center for Professional Excellence, Research and Evidence-Based Practice, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. myra.huth@cchmc.org
authors.forename: Myra Martz
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Huth
authors.forename: Marion English
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Broome
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D004327:Drinking Behavior; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014839:Vomiting / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology