An integrative literature review on pain alleviation interventions for hospitalized children

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review pain alleviation intervention for Korean pediatric inpatients with reference to Kolcaba's Theory of Comfort. Methods: Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review methods were used. Articles published in Korean or English were identified through electronic search engines and scholarly web sites. Scientific, peer-reviewed articles published between 2006 and 2019 were included in this review. Twenty-seven articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Results: Among the 27 selected studies, three were descriptive, while 24 were interventional studies related to pain alleviation interventions. Pain alleviation interventions showed three attributes: identifying pain triggers and the child's response to pain, effective strategies for pain relief, and nurses' competence in pain management. Conclusion: The three attributes of pain alleviation interventions using the theory of comfort shown in this study were identified as important factors for obtaining evidence-based data on how to enhance the comfort of hospitalized pediatric patients. In addition, the attributes of pain alleviation interventions should be considered for hospitalized pediatric patients and their family members.