Effective Non-Pharmacological Pain Relief Interventions For Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review Of The Literature

Abstract

Managing pediatric pain is an important role of the registered nurse. This can be a challenge, as pediatric patients often do not have the ability or the vocabulary to verbalize that they are in pain. Non-pharmacological interventions are important to use as an alternative to pharmacological pain relief because it is safer, cost-effective, and kid-friendly. Non-pharmacological interventions can create a positive hospital experience for both the pediatric patient and the family. The family and patient can carry on this positive experience with and seek medical care in the future with no hesitation. A systematic review of the literature was done using CINAHL to identify effective non-pharmacological pain relief interventions for pediatrics. Criteria for inclusion in this study were: peer reviewed articles, full text, English, and the journal subsets: nursing/core nursing. The results of the studies demonstrated that distraction interventions which stimulated the auditory and visual sense were the most effective in relieving pediatric pain. These included play, dancing, music, animated cartoons, and blowing bubbles. Parental involvement in these non-pharmacological interventions was also effective. Ineffective non-pharmacological interventions were those that stimulated the olfactory sense. Studies that compared non-pharmacological interventions to pharmacological pain management determined that they were equally as effective. Non-pharmacological pain relief interventions for pediatric patients can provide both short-term and long-term benefits. Providing education to registered nurses on what non-pharmacological pain relief intervention are effective can decrease the use of drugs for pain management.