title: Parental Report of Morphine Use at Home after Pediatric Surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the use of morphine at home for acute postoperative pain in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, descriptive study. Patients less than 12 years of age who underwent surgery and who received a discharge prescription for morphine between January and May 2014 were included. Parents were given a logbook to note their use of morphine at home. A follow-up call was performed 3 days after discharge. The primary outcome was whether or not parents administered morphine according to the discharge prescription. Prescription filling rates, storage at home, administration devices used, and disposal of remaining morphine were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 243 subjects were recruited; 56% (95% CI, 46%-66%) of participants with a regular basis prescription administered the medication as prescribed. This number was 85% (95% CI, 78%-92%) in subjects receiving an as-needed prescription, including those who did not administer any morphine because of an absence of pain. Although 76% (95% CI, 68%-84%) of parents filled the morphine prescription when prescribed as needed, most administered two doses or less. In a subset of 77 subjects for whom we obtained detailed prescription data, only 9.2% of prescribed doses were administered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed that large amounts of morphine have been prescribed and dispensed into homes without being administered. This study identified a need to re-evaluate the quantity of morphine prescribed and dispensed after pediatric surgery.
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Myrna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abou-Karam
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dubé
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Héléna Soriya
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kvann
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Corina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mollica
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Dariane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Racine
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bussières
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lebel
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Electronic address: maxime.thibault.hsj@ssss.gouv.qc.ca.
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thibault
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010290:Parents; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009020:Morphine