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Parents are often unprepared for a hospital encounter and fear can spikebefore a hospital visit, particularly one that may involve painful procedures.In fact, many children begin their hospital visit with an IV insertion orblood draw, which are among the most frequently reported painful events inhospitalized children.(2) In 2004, more than 18 million peripheral venousaccess procedures (like IV insertions and blood draws) were performed.(3)
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"In my experience, parents and pediatricians have long noticed thatchildren who experience less pain in the hospital have less fear of hospitalsas they get older and may even recover faster," said Dr. William Sears, anAssociate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California,Irvine, School of Medicine.
"Hospital 411" offers parents a variety of practical resources, includingtips for what they can do prior to and during hospital visits. The programalso includes an on-line resource, http://www.GetTheHospital411.com,containing information, guidance and support for parents seeking to bettermanage the hospital experience, such as ways to manage pain associated withcommon hospital procedures like blood draws and IV insertions. The Web sitefeatures five simple, downloadable tools that put important informationdirectly at parents' fingertips:
-- A Wallet Card that parents can personalize with their child's medicalhistory and information.
-- Printable Comfort Tips, such as managing children's procedural pain byasking for analgesia (topical local anesthetic), like Zingo(TM). Zingoprovides rapid onset of analgesia in one to three minutes afteradministration. Doctors and nurses can use it before beginning a blood draw orIV insertion for children three to 18 years of age to reduce the painassociated with the procedure. (4)(5)
-- A Certificate of Bravery that parents can personalize and print out toreward their child after their hospital visit.
-- Kidz Korner, an interactive resource that poses common questions fromparents with answers provided by an expert physician and nurse.
-- A Suitcase Packing Game that allows parents and children to learn howto prepare for hospital visits together, with a printable checklist at the endof the game.
"By being an advocate for their child and requesting that pain managementbe taken seriously, such as requesting the use of a new fast-acting analgesiafor blood draws and IV insertions, parents now have access to a broad range ofhelpful tools," said Dr. Sears.
Unfortunately, hospital visits are a part of life for many children --whether they regularly visit the hospital for a chronic condition likeleukemia or cystic fibrosis, or they've had an accident and have been rushedto the ED. Many hospital visits occur during the school year -- more than145,000 children ages five to 14 end up in the ED due to accidental injuriesinvolving playground equipment, with three out of four playground accidentsoccurring on public playgrounds, like school facilities. (6) Regardless ofthe cause for the hospital visit, it's difficult for any parent to witnesstheir child in pain.
"Child life specialists use their knowled
