title: A randomized clinical trial of a nurse telephone follow-up on paediatric tonsillectomy pain management and complications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of a nurse telephone follow-up on paediatric post-tonsillectomy pain intensity, complications, and use of other healthcare services.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  After tonsillectomy, children experience moderate-to-severe pain for days. Parents tend to give insufficient analgesia, with resulting increases in pain and postoperative complications. In adults, nurse telephone follow-up for ambulatory surgeries reduces postoperative pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design was a randomized clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this trial, children aged 4-12 years undergoing elective tonsillectomy in June-October 2010 were assigned to a nurse telephone follow-up with parents on postoperative days 1, 3, 5 and 10, or standard care with no follow-up but data collection. Outcomes included pain intensity, analgesics administered, complications, and healthcare use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 45 participants, the intervention group (n = 24) received more analgesics on postoperative days 1 and 3, increased their fluid intake at days 1 and 3, but had more constipation at day 3 than the control group (n = 21). There was no significant difference regarding pain intensity or use of healthcare resources.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurse telephone follow-up was beneficial for some pain management and prevention of complications, although better analgesic treatments are needed. The intervention was simple, safe, and appreciated by parents.
authors: CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Paquette
authors: Sylvie
authors: S
authors: Le May
authors: Jacinthe
authors: J
authors: Lachance Fiola
authors: Edith
authors: E
authors: Villeneuve
authors: Annie
authors: A
authors: Lapointe
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Bourgault
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013689:Telephone; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*
keywords: aftercare; children; day surgery; nurses/midwives/nursing; nursing interventions; paediatric pain management; parent; postoperative complications; postoperative pain; tonsillectomy