RN VOICE Pediatric Pain Bill of Rights
Every child has the right to have their pain managed.
Every child has the right to have his/her pain managed.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Pain Society and the Infusion Nurses Society3,8,17
have published guidelines that emphasize the importance of minimizing procedural pain in children whenever possible. Some hospitals have developed pediatric pain bills of rights as part of their commitment to help minimize pain experienced by children. Even if your hospital doesn't have a bill of rights, you should become familiar with the types of comfort and support measures that might be available for your child. In some cases, you may need to specifically request these measures. Below is an example of a bill of rights that is endorsed by Terri Voepel-Lewis, MSN, RN and AnnMarie Papa, MSN, RN, CEN, FAEN, who are members of the RN VOICE Steering Committee and leaders in their professions.
1.
Your child has the right to receive the best possible pain control available.
The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2004 declared that every opportunity should be taken to use available methods of pain control in children.8
2.
Your child has the right to receive topical local anesthetics (TLA) in advance of needlestick procedures (such as IVs or blood draws).
In 2001, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Pain Society said that local anesthetics ... should be considered for even simple procedures, such as venipuncture.3
3.
Your child has the right to receive distraction techniques, such as the use of television and bubble-blowing.
Distraction techniques have been shown to reduce the perception of pain in children according to a 2006 review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.18
4.
Your child has the right to visit the hospital ahead of time to become familiar with the surroundings.
Early visits may help lessen the fear of the unknown that can contribute to anxiety and an increased response to pain.
5.
Your child has the right to ask questions of his or her doctors, nurses and other health care professionals.
6.
You have the right to ask whether your hospital has a pain-management protocol that outlines how pediatric pain is handled.
7.
Your child has the right to honest and direct answers from you and from the medical staff about what he or she can expect during the hospital visit.
8.
Your child has the right to have needlestick procedures administered by a nurse or technician who is experienced in such procedures.
17
9.
You and your child have the right to ask if a child life specialist is available.
A child life specialist is a professional who is trained to help children deal with stressful hospital experiences. For more information, contact the Child Life Council at www.childlife.org.
Download printable parent checklist