Pediatric nursing
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Numerous studies have shown that in comparison to adults, children do not receive analgesia (oligoanalgesia) and are not adequately treated for pain. Several organizations, including The Joint Commission and Institute of Medicine (IOM) have emphasized patients' rights to pain management and the need for initial assessment and ongoing evaluation. Nurses are responsible for assessing patients' pain and implementing appropriate pain management in the emergency department (ED). ⋯ The purpose of this quality improvement project was to improve nurses' assessment and management of children's pain in an emergency department. A total of 1,200 EMRs of pediatric patients ages 3 months to 6 years of age were reviewed before and after an educational intervention (600 before and 600 after the intervention). Pain education for ED nurses improved pain assessment and management among children.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for all 11 to 12-year olds as part of the adolescent immunization platform. However, this vaccine has not been universally accepted by health care providers, parents, or the public, and has lower vaccination coverage rates than other recommended vaccines for the same age group. ⋯ Nurses were knowledgeable about specific HPV information but were less knowledgeable about the extent of HPV infection seen in males or the availability or indications of HPV vaccine for males. This study demonstrates that nurses need more education about HPV and HPV vaccine.