Program #868 • Available Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ through Saturday, February 26, 2011

Improving Acute Pain Management in Children: Essential Tools, Techniques, and Treatments

 

Program Description

Acute pain, occurring as a result of injury, illness, and necessary medical procedures, is one of the most frequent adverse stimuli experienced by children. The common "wisdom" that children neither respond to, nor remember, painful experiences to the same degree that adults do is simply untrue. Evidence suggests that physicians, nurses, and parents underestimate the amount of pain experienced by children, and that they overestimate the risks inherent in the drugs used in the treatment of pain. Unrelieved pain interferes with sleep, leads to fatigue and a sense of helplessness, and may result in increased morbidity and/or mortality. While the past 25 years has witnessed notable advances in the understanding of pain during development and improvements in the management of acute pain in the pediatric population, this knowledge has not been widely or effectively translated into routine clinical practice. In addition to the numerous myths, insufficient knowledge among caregivers and inadequate application of nowledge contribute to the lack of effective management. The pediatric acute pain experience involves the interaction of physiologic, psychological, behavioral, developmental, and situational factors. Pain is an inherently subjective, multifactorial experience and should be assessed and treated as such. Physicians are responsible for eliminating or assuaging pain and suffering in children when possible. Moreover, The Joint Commission (formerly known as JCAHO) has made pain assessment and management a focal point of its review process. Physicians and other healthcare professionals need current, state-of-the-art education to assist them in developing the skills required to evaluate and manage pain in children. In this video, Dr. Neil Schechter, a pioneer in pediatric pain relief, reviews important considerations in the pain management in children, strategies for assessing pain, specific pain assessment tools, and nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic management options specific to children.

(60 minutes)

Credit Information

Up to 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

This activity is designated for pediatricians, primary care physicians, emergency medicine phsicians, hospitalists, and other hospital-based healthcare personnel.

Learning Objectives

After taking part in this CME activity, participants should be able to:

CME Credit Designations

ACCME The Network for Continuing Medical Education (NCME) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA NCME designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAFP This activity has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 1 Prescribed credit by the American Academy of Family Physicians. AAFP accreditation begins Thursday, February 26, 2009. Term of approval is for one year from this date, with option for yearly renewal.

AOA This activity is eligible for up to 1 hour of credit in Category 2-A of the American Osteopathic Association.