PAIN RATING SCALES IN CHILDREN WITH CANCER
Evangelos Dousis, ZoiMaria Fotaraki
Monday, January 7, 2019
Publication year:
2019
Authors:
- Dousis Evangelos, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, University of West Attika
- Fotaraki ZoiMaria, RN, MSc(c)
Keywords index:
Pages: 203-215
Abstract:
Pain in children with cancer is a subjective feeling as well as a frequent symptom that nurses have to deal with. Pain assessment can be done with special tools (scales). The purpose of the present study was to explore assessment of pain in children with cancer using measuring tools. Methodology: This was a review study. It was conducted a bibliographic review of international databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus), in English, using keywords (pain, cancer, pain scales, pain rating, children), from May to June 2019. Results: The assessment and management of pain in children with cancer is achieved by simple or more complex assessment tools depending on the age of the child. The most common pain rating scales are the face pain rating scale, the Oucher scale, the scale using poker chips as a tool, the numerical scale, the visual analogue, the verbal scale, and the tool-color method. Multidimensional pain rating scales can be used in older children and adolescents with or without chronic illness. Conclusions: Nurses should systematically assess the pain of children with cancer, use pain rating scales, and manage the child with pain effectively.
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