150 Kilgour Road, Toronto Ontario Canada M4G 1R8
Tel: 416 425 6220 Toll Free: 800 363 2440
A teaching hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto
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Best Practice Spotlight Organization Candidate
"Knowledge in Motion”
Assessment and management of pain
"I noticed a dramatic difference in the approach to pain management from the first time my son was an inpatient at Holland Bloorview five years ago. On a recent inpatient stay, I felt that the team of professionals caring for my son really engaged me as a parent in the decision-making process regarding pain management. I felt empowered and respected as a parent - and as the voice for my child."
Parent of Inpatient SODR Client
It’s well documented in medical literature that children are undertreated for pain.
Pediatric pain assessment and management is a complex interprofessional responsibility which requires knowledge and clinical judgment in ensuring that each child’s pain needs are being met.
In response, Holland Bloorview has implemented a best practice guideline on the assessment and management of pain from the RNAO.
In 2009, less than ten per cent of children admitted to Holland Bloorview had a documented pain assessment using a valid tool. Since the guideline was implementation in 2010 that number has improved to over 95 per cent.
As a part of the best practice implementation, our nurses underwent three hours of pain assessment and management education which stimulated rich discussion about pain practices at Holland Bloorview. As a result, nurses are now documenting pain assessments using pain assessment tools at a minimum of once per shift, ensuring that we’re changing the trend of under recognizing pain.
In 2010, Michelle Balkaran, register nurse at Holland Bloorview, was the first ever winner of Holland Bloorview’s clinical excellence in pain assessment and management award. Nominated by her peers and selected by the interprofessional pain assessment and management committee for her outstanding dedication to patient advocacy and leadership towards managing pain, Michelle clearly recognizes the impact that pain has on quality of life and length of stay.