Despite technological advances and AHCPR guidelines, unmanaged pediatric pain prevails with alarming frequency and children suffer needless pain. This experimental study will investigate the effectiveness of guided imagery, in combination with routine analgesics in reducing postoperative pain in 7-10 year old children during hospitalization and at home. Children from a Short Stay Unit (SSU) in a children's hospital, scheduled for a tonsillectomy or tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy will be recruited. Sixty children randomly assigned to the experimental group will watch a videotape on the use of guided imagery and then listen to a 20-30 minute audio tape of guided imagery one time prior to surgery, 2-4 hours after surgery, and at 22- 24 hours after discharge from the SSU. The 60 children in the comparison group will receive standard care. Pain will be measured prior to surgery, 2-4 hours after surgery, and in the home at 22- 24 hours after discharge from the SSU in both groups. Measures of sensory pain will be the Oucher and frequency and amount analgesics used in the hospital and home, and measures of affective pain will be the Palmar Sweat Test and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. Parents will be asked to keep records of analgesia use when the child is at home. Data will be analyzed by comparing groups in pain measures with analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Frequency distribution and measures of central tendency deviation will be examined. This study is designed to provide insight into the link between pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions with children having postoperative pain while in the hospital and at home. It is essential for the comfort of children that nursing enhances its knowledge, research base, and clinical management of pain.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31NR007173-03
Application #
2796955
Study Section
National Institute of Nursing Research Initial Review Group (NRRC)
Program Officer
Hare, Martha L
Project Start
1998-09-30
Project End
Budget Start
1998-09-30
Budget End
1999-09-29
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Case Western Reserve University
Department
Type
Schools of Nursing
DUNS #
077758407
City
Cleveland
State
OH
Country
United States
Zip Code
44106
Huth, Myra Martz; Broome, Marion English (2007) A snapshot of children's postoperative tonsillectomy outcomes at home. J Spec Pediatr Nurs 12:186-95
Van Kuiken, Debra M; Li Lin; Martz Huth, Myra (2007) The difficulties of studying children's pain at home. West J Nurs Res 29:432-47
Keister, Kathy J (2006) Predictors of self-assessed health, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in nursing home residents at week 1 postrelocation. J Aging Health 18:722-42
Huth, Myra Martz; Van Kuiken, Debra M; Broome, Marion E (2006) Playing in the park: what school-age children tell us about imagery. J Pediatr Nurs 21:115-25
Huth, Myra Martz; Broome, Marion E; Good, Marion (2004) Imagery reduces children's post-operative pain. Pain 110:439-48
Huth, M M; Moore, S M (1998) Prescriptive theory of acute pain management in infants and children. J Soc Pediatr Nurs 3:23-32