Children’s satisfaction and dissatisfaction with pain management in a Pediatric Emergency Department

OBJECTIVE: To understand children's satisfaction and dissatisfaction with pain management in the pediatric emergency department. METHOD: Exploratory-descriptive qualitative study performed with children between 6 and 12 years of age and use of semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis of data. RESULTS: Nineteen children were interviewed. The results were organized in two themes: Theme 1 - Satisfaction perceived by children regarding pain management, which included three subthemes, namely: Priority care and quick pain relief, Basic needs met and Embracement by the team; and Theme 2 - Dissatisfaction perceived by children regarding pain management, which included three subthemes: Painful procedures, Uncomfortable environment and Delay in pain relief. CONCLUSION: Children's satisfaction with pain management was observed to be much more than pain relief or priority service, and also included the pediatric emergency department environment and embracement by the team. Care should be directed to children's singularities, that is, a care built from the understanding of the experience from children's point of view.