7.1.3 Pain Management (Children)

Pain is managed within a therapeutic alliance among the child, his or her parent(s), nurses, physicians, and other health care professionals. The beliefs and preferences of the child and family should be elicited, respected, and carefully considered. At the same time, the primary obligation of the health care professional is to ensure safe and competent care. The presence of divergent beliefs and goals among members of the team can interfere--with effective pain and symptom management, but these can often be resolved through discussion and negotiation.


Related Chunks

Scope of the Problem

Importance of Controlling Cancer Pain

Assessment

Methods for Assessing Pain

Self-Report

Behavioral Observation

Assessing the Adequacy of Pain Management Strategies (Children)

Minority Populations

Index