A snapshot of children's postoperative tonsillectomy outcomes at home.
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.
Huth
Myra Martz
MM
Center for Professional Excellence, Research and Evidence-Based Practice, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. myra.huth@cchmc.org
Broome
Marion English
ME
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