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Assessing and managing pain while evaluating risks associated with substance use and substance use disorders continues to be a challenge faced by health care clinicians. The American Society for Pain Management Nursing and the International Nurses Society on Addictions uphold the principle that all persons with co-occurring pain and substance use or substance use disorders have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and receive evidence-based, high quality assessment, and management for both conditions. The American Society for Pain Management Nursing and International Nurses Society on Addictions have updated their 2012 position statement on this topic supporting an integrated, holistic, multidimensional approach, which includes nonopioid and nonpharmacological modalities. Opioid use disorder is used as an exemplar for substance use disorders and clinical recommendations are included with expanded attention to risk assessment and mitigation with interventions targeted to minimize the risk for relapse or escalation of substance use. Opioids should not be excluded for anyone when indicated for pain management. A team-based approach is critical, promotes the active involvement of the person with pain and their support systems, and includes pain and addiction specialists whenever possible. Health care systems should establish policies and procedures that facilitate and support the principles and recommendations put forth in this article.

The American Society for Pain Management Nursing and the International Nurses Society on Addictions hold the position that persons with co-occurring pain and substance use disorder have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and receive evidence-based, high-quality assessment and management for both conditions using an integrated, holistic, multidimensional approach. Non-opioid and nonpharmacological approaches to pain management are recommended. Opioids should not be withheld from anyone if necessary to treat pain, and a team-based approach, including pain and addiction specialists, should be utilized when possible. Pain management should include interventions aimed at minimizing the risk for relapse or escalation of problematic substance use, and actively involve the person and their support persons in the plan of care. Institutions should establish policies and procedures that support this position statement.

Background Pain management is essential for the care of hospitalized children. Although multiple barriers have been identified that interfere with nurses' ability to provide optimal pain management, it is not known how pervasive are these barriers across the United States. Aims This study is the third in a series of studies examining barriers to pediatric pain management. The aim of this study was to examine barriers in different organizations using the same tool during the same period of time. Settings/Participants A sample of 808 nurses from three pediatric teaching hospitals responded to a survey addressing barriers to optimal pain management for children. Results Barriers unanimously identified as being most significant included inadequate or insufficient physician medication orders, insufficient time allowed to premedicate before procedures, insufficient premedication orders before procedures, and low priority given to pain management by medical staff. Conclusions Barriers identified as the most and least significant were similar regardless of hospital location. Revealing similar barriers across multiple pediatric hospitals provides direction for nurses trying to provide solutions to these pain management barriers.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hematologic disorder defined by presence of sickle-shaped red blood cells that can occlude blood vessels and cause tissue ischemia and pain. Treating SCD pain adequately and safely is difficult given today's opioid climate. Buprenorphine-naloxone has been described as an alternative option to treat chronic pain in the adult literature; however, it historically required discontinuation of full-agonist opioids before initiation, resulting in opioid withdrawal. Herein we present two adolescents with SCD who successfully weaned off large doses of full-agonist opioids by using microdose induction of buprenorphine-naloxone in clinic, without experiencing significant opioid withdrawal. Ambulatory microdose induction may remove hurdles that otherwise would discourage patients from trying this regimen while still controlling pain safely.

Although the current public health disaster related to opioids has had greatest impact on the adult population, infants, children and adolescents are also being harmed. Yet as usual, the pediatric population has not received adequate attention from the policymakers.

Purpose/objective The purposes of this article are to describe the scientific literature on assessment, prevention, and management of delirium in critically ill children and to articulate the implications for clinical nurse specialists, in translating the evidence into practice. Description A literature search was conducted in 4 databases-OvidMEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsychINFO, and Web of Science-using the terms "delirium," "child," and "critically ill" for the period of 2006 to 2016. Outcome The scientific literature included articles on diagnosis, prevalence, risk factors, adverse outcomes, screening tools, prevention, and management. The prevalence of delirium in critically ill children is up to 30%. Risk factors include age, developmental delay, severity of illness, and mechanical ventilation. Adverse outcomes include increased mortality, hospital length of stay, and cost for the critically ill child with delirium. Valid and reliable delirium screening tools are available for critically ill children. Prevention and management strategies include interventions to address environmental triggers, sleep disruption, integrated family care, and mobilization. Conclusion Delirium is a common occurrence for the critically ill child. The clinical nurse specialist is accountable for leading the implementation of practice changes that are based on evidence to improve patient outcomes. Screening and early intervention for delirium are key to mitigating adverse outcomes for critically ill children.

The ASPMN strongly recommends that infants who are being circumcised must receive optimal pain management. ‘‘If a decision for circumcision is made, procedural analgesia should be provided’’ (AAP, 1999, p. 691). Therefore, it is the position of the ASPMN that optimal pain management must be provided throughout the circumcision process. Furthermore, parents must be prepared for the procedure and educated about infant pain assessment. They must also be informed of pharmacologic and integrative pain management therapies that are appropriate before, during, and after the procedure.

The American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN) has updated its position statement on managing pain in patients with substance use disorders. This position statement is endorsed by the International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA) and includes clinical practice recommendations based on current evidence. It is the position of ASPMN and IntNSA that every patient with pain, including those with substance use disorders, has the right to be treated with dignity, respect, and high-quality pain assessment and management. Failure to identify and treat the concurrent conditions of pain and substance use disorders will compromise the ability to treat either condition effectively. Barriers to caring for these patients include stigmatization, misconceptions, and limited access to providers skilled in these two categories of disorders. Topics addressed in this position statement include the scope of substance use and related disorders, conceptual models of addiction, ethical considerations, addiction risk stratification, and clinical recommendations.

An ethical dilemma that is not uncommon to encounter when caring for children occurs when parental preference does not appear to be in the child's best interest. Challenges facing the health care team are further amplified when the family's cultural background does not match that of the team. A case study will be used to illustrate the challenges of a pediatric palliative care ethical dilemma further complicated by cultural diversity. Review of the child's medical condition, patient/parent preferences, quality of life, and contextual features will be followed by an analysis and recommendations for resolution of this challenging situation.

Pain is important to assess and treat in children with cystic fibrosis (CF), because pain symptoms may limit children's ability to participate in their CF-related care and may reduce their overall well-being and quality of life. The aims of this study were to: 1) assess acute and chronic pain symptoms as reported by children with CF, and 2) examine the relationship between pain symptoms and disease severity as measured by percentage of forced expired volume in 1 sec (FEV1%). Forty-six children completed a self-report questionnaire assessing characteristics of chronic disease-related pain (frequency, intensity, duration, associated emotional upset, and location of pain). Children also rated their pain intensity associated with common CF-related procedures. The primary locations of pain reported were the abdominal/pelvic region, chest, and head/neck. Forty-six percent of the sample described pain occurring at least once per week. Most children reported their pain intensity as mild and of short duration. However, a small subgroup of children reported longer-lasting and moderately intense pain. Children with chest pain were found to be particularly at risk for experiencing more functional limitations and a significantly lower FEV1% compared to children without chest pain. The majority of children reported that nonpharmacological therapies (e.g., medication, rest, or distracting activities) provided some pain relief. Disease-related pain is common for children and adolescents with CF, suggesting that pain assessment should be a routine part of their clinical care. Further research is clearly needed to better understand the sources of pain and how best to provide relief. Pediatr Pulmonol. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The assessment and management of pain in children is not always easy and it is clearly more difficult in the critical care setting. Pain management is further complicated in this vulnerable population by the nature of their critical condition, the complexity and multidimensionality of their illness or injuries, and the intensity of emotions in this environment. A variety of pain syndromes are encountered in the pediatric intensive care unit, and the staff there may not be familiar with or comfortable managing these cases. Pain assessment and treatment can be more appropriately managed when guided by the experts of a multidisciplinary pediatric pain service.

The American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN) has developed a position statement and clinical practice recommendations related to procedural preparation and comfort management. Procedures potentially produce pain and anxiety, both of which should be assessed and addressed before the procedure begins. This position statement refers to "comfort management" as incorporating the management of pain, anxiety, and any other discomforts that may occur with procedures. It is the position of ASPMN that nurses and other health care professionals advocate and intervene based on the needs of the patient, setting, and situation, to provide optimal comfort management before, during, and after procedures. Furthermore, ASPMN does not condone procedures being performed without the implementation of planned comfort assessment and management. In addition to outlining this position with supporting evidence, this paper reviews the ethical considerations regarding procedural comfort management and provides recommendations for nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic management during all phases of the procedure. An appendix provides a summary of this position statement and clinical practice recommendations.

Summary Background : Topical anesthetics may help reduce discomfort associated with procedures involving needle-puncture, such as intravenous (i.v.) insertions, in children. EMLA® cream has become a common, noninvasive therapy for topical anesthesia in children. ELA-Max® is a recently introduced topical anesthetic cream marketed as being as effective in producing topical anesthesia after a 30-min application as EMLA® is after a 60-min application. The purpose of this research was to compare ELA-Max® at 30 min with EMLA® at 60 min for providing topical anesthesia for i.v. insertions in children. Methods : Sixty children, ages 8–17 years, requiring an i.v. were randomized to receive either the 30 min application of ELA-Max® (n = 30) or the 60 min application of EMLA® (n = 30). Children rated any pain associated with the i.v. insertion using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The anesthesiologist assessed the presence of blanching at the site and rated the difficulty of placing the i.v. Results : There was no clinically or statistically significant difference in pain ratings (P = 0.87) between the ELA-Max® (mean = 25.7) and the EMLA® (mean = 26.8) groups. ELA-Max® caused significantly (P = 0.04) less blanching than EMLA®, however there was no difference in the anesthesiologists’ rating of the difficulty of the i.v. placement between the groups (P = 0.73). Conclusion : Results from this study support the claim that a 30-min application of ELA-Max® (with occlusion) is as effective as a 60-min application of EMLA® (with occlusion) for producing topical anesthesia for i.v. insertion in children.

Background/Rationale: Barriers to optimal pain management generally cluster into three areas: patients and families, healthcare providers, and health care systems. The impact of the PRN Program on these barriers has not been measured. Understanding how the PRN role is enacted will allow organizations to better plan, implement, and support PRNs. The following questions were used in evaluation: 1) Does the PRN Program decrease nurses’ perceptions of barriers to pain management? 2) What behaviors do PRNs use to influence change in practice as they enact their role as pain experts? 3) Does the PRN Program improve family pain satisfaction scores?