Journal of pediatric nursing
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Finding the evidence to change practice for assessing pain in children who are cognitively impaired.
We report on a quality improvement project whose purpose was to systematically review behavioral pain assessment tools for children who are cognitively impaired, with the goal of identifying a valid and reliable tool for clinical practice. In addition, we sought to partner with parents and/or caregivers to expand their role in pain assessment. ⋯ Once completed, we identified 2 of the available 10 tools to test in the clinical setting. Data from this quality improvement project provided evidence to support the adoption of the revised Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability pain assessment tool for children with CI into clinical practice.
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As the number of individuals with autism grows, it is critical for nurses in all settings to understand how autism influences the family unit, as they will likely interact with these children, the adults, and their families. The intent of this descriptive narrative study was to explore the experiences of families of individuals with autism as perceived by the mother. Through personal interviews, 16 mothers' perceptions of the impact of autism on the family unit during different stages of the life cycle were revealed through a constructivist lens. Pediatric nurses employed in acute care settings, community, and schools are poised to assess and support these families following diagnosis and throughout the child's life.