Why We Care
Preventive measures to lessen or eliminate venous access pain are greatly underutilized.14,15
Four-year-old Cindy and her family arrive in the ED at 2:00 a.m. It's her first visit. She has had a high fever all day, and her parents are extremely anxious and concerned. The nurse identifies the need for IV access for administration of fluids to treat Cindy's dehydration.
When she realizes that she's about to receive a needlestick, Cindy becomes anxious and uncooperative. The nurse misses the vein and summons a colleague to assist. When she sees the second nurse, Cindy becomes hysterical. Her parents are upset and angry. They challenge the nurse's competence.
No one is happy. The experience leaves Cindy afraid of hospitals, nurses, and needles. Her parents feel that they have betrayed and have hurt their child. They blame the nurse, who feels frustrated and inadequate.
Inadequate sedation and pain control in children may lead to negative consequences later.
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Even health care professionals can experience distress when peripheral venous access pain is inadequately managed.
A growing body of evidence and guidelines from national societies
3,8
support the need to better manage peripheral venous access pain. Despite the call to manage this type of pain, evidence suggests that peripheral venous access pain continues to be under managed. In a survey sent to pediatric emergency medicine fellowship directors, only 38% of respondents reported using pharmacologic pain management for IV catheter insertion.
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In light of this pain treatment gap, a group of nurses, physicians, child life specialists, and pharmacists with an interest in improving the management of peripheral venous access pain joined together to form the Steering Committee for RN VOICE. They are working to promote improved venous access pain management strategies.
RN VOICE is working to improve the venous access experience of pediatric patients, their families, and their health care providers through education,
advocacy, and collaboration.
Helping hospitals develop programs for managing peripheral venous access pain in children is central to the RN VOICE mission.