Practice guidelines for the assessment of children with sickle cell pain.

ISSUES AND PURPOSE

Pain is the most frequent and important problem for children with sickle cell disease (SCD), but it has been undertreated and understudied. A multidisciplinary group of healthcare providers, academics, and people with SCD and their families met to (1) examine the pain of vaso-occlusive events (VOE) in children and adults with SCD and (2) reach consensus about necessary improvements in care.

CONCLUSIONS

Accurate assessment of pain is at the crux of effective care for children with VOE. This requires a trusting interactive relationship among patient, family, and healthcare team. Comprehensive pain assessment is a lifelong process in need of continued updating.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Children with SCD seek treatment from nurses in many settings. Traditional care has been frustrating to both families and care providers. Children and adolescents with SCD pain would benefit from nursing care that considers patients' perspectives about pain and comfort as key determinants for treatment. A unified approach to pain assessment may be a significant factor in improving pain control.