Pain management practices for lumbar punctures: are we consistent?
In most pediatric oncology centers across Canada, it is now standard practice for children to be sedated for lumbar punctures (LPs). Although the use of sedation for LPs is well established in the pediatric oncology population, its use in other hospital units is not well documented. A patient record audit was completed to understand the types of pain management strategies used for LPs performed throughout a pediatric hospital. Fifty-nine patients aged between 3 days and 17 years underwent a total of 67 LPs. Pain management strategies varied among the different patient service units. Oncology patients were consistently sedated for an LP, whereas patients in the emergency department were less likely to be given any type of sedation. Recommendations are aimed at providing consistent best practice pain management for LPs throughout the hospital.
Department of Nursing, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada. jellis@uottawa.ca
Jacqueline A
JA
Ellis
Kim
K
Villeneuve
Kym
K
Newhook
Jillian
J
Ulrichsen
D000293:Adolescent; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019985:Benchmarking; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D009864:Ontario; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018579:Patient Selection; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011792:Quebec; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000451:nursing