title: Nurses' aims when managing pediatric postoperative pain: is what they say the same as what they do?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore nurses' aims when managing postoperative pain and whether reported aims reflect actual practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participant observation was used to collect data regarding nurses' (n = 17) pain management practices. Nurses (n = 19) were asked: When managing postoperative pain, what is your overall aim?
  
  
  RESULTS
  Around half the participants (n = 10) aimed for patients to be comfortable while others aimed for a pain score of 2-3 (n = 7), or below 5 (n = 2). Observed practices matched aims for just more than half the participants (n = 9).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is evidence of individual variation in practices. This may impact on the care provided.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Social Care and Education, Kingston University and St. George's University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Twycross
authors.forename: G Allen
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Finley
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing
keywords: Pediatric nurse; postoperative pain