Journal of pediatric nursing
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A qualitative grounded theory method was used to examine hospitalized children's experiences of acute pain. Understanding the children's pain experiences included identifying children's responses, factors influencing children's responses, and the meanings children associated with their pain experiences. A sample of 11 surgical pediatric patients, 2-1/2 to 6-1/2 years of age, participated. ⋯ Data analysis was based on the constant comparative method. Findings revealed that the pain experience determined how the overall hospitalization was experienced by the children. "Getting better" was identified as the basic psychosocial process children used to deal with the pain. A beginning model of the young child's pain experience was developed and is presented here.