This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (10) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Greenberg, R. S. Articles by Yaster, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Greenberg, R. S. Articles by Yaster, M.

---

PEDIATRIC ANESTHESIA

Videotape Increases Parental Knowledge About Pediatric Pain Management

Robert S. Greenberg, MD^*,, Carol Billett, RN, MS, CPNP^*, Marianna Zahurak, MS, and Myron Yaster, MD^*,

Departments of *Anesthesiology/Critical Care Medicine and Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins Hospital; and Department of Oncology/Biostatistics, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

Address correspondence to Robert S. Greenberg, MD, Blalock 902A, Department of Anesthesiology/Critical Care Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287. Address e-mail to rgreenbe{at}welchlink.welch.jhu.edu

Pediatric pain management often depends on parents recognition and assessment of their child’s pain and their beliefs as to whether the pain should be treated. Parental misconceptions concerning pain assessment and pain management may therefore result in inadequate pain treatment, particularly in patients who are too young or too developmentally handicapped to self-report their pain. We hypothesized that viewing a concise, educational videotape would provide parents with instructive information that could correct misconceptions concerning pain and pain management in children. To do this, we evaluated the impact of an educational videotape on parental responses to a questionnaire about pediatric pain management. Parents of children scheduled for inpatient, postoperative hospital care were studied. After answering 30 questions, parents were randomly assigned to either view (Group 1) or not view (Group 2) a 19-min educational videotape. Immediately after viewing the videotape (Group 1), or 30 min after taking the first test (Group 2), parents were asked to answer the same questionnaire a second time. The effect of seeing the videotape was assessed by comparing post-pre test score differences using paired t-test. One-hundred parents were studied. Randomization was effective in assigning equitable groups. Initial scores of percent answers correct in each group were not different ([mean ± SD] Group 1 [n = 50]: 68.7% ± 18.8% vs Group 2 [n = 50]: 61.5% ± 22.7%; P = 0.09). Viewing the videotape effectively increased test scores: paired t-test within groups demonstrated a significant difference in Group 1 (22.4% ± 16.5%, P < 0.0001), whereas Group 2 scores changed to a much lesser degree (2.7% ± 8.3%, P = 0.0271). All parents who viewed the videotape stated that it was informative regarding their understanding of their child’s pain management. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of an educational videotape in changing parental knowledge concerning postoperative pediatric pain. This effective and efficient teaching medium may be useful in improving pain management in postoperative pediatric surgical patients.

Implications: Pediatric pain management often depends on parents recognition and assessment of their child’s pain and their beliefs as to whether the pain should be treated. This prospective, randomized, controlled study demonstrated the effectiveness of an educational videotape in changing parental knowledge concerning postoperative pediatric pain. This effective and efficient teaching medium may be useful in preventing inadequate pain management in postoperative pediatric surgical patients.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				V. Unsworth, L. S. Franck, and I. Choonara Parental assessment and management of children's postoperative pain: a randomized clinical trial J Child Health Care, September 1, 2007; 11(3): 186 - 194. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Lee, P. T. Chui, and T. Gin Educating Patients About Anesthesia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Media-Based Interventions Anesth. Analg., May 1, 2003; 96(5): 1424 - 1431. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. Monitto, R. S. Greenberg, S. Kost-Byerly, R. Wetzel, C. Billett, R. M. Lebet, and M. Yaster The Safety and Efficacy of Parent-/Nurse-Controlled Analgesia in Patients Less than Six Years of Age Anesth. Analg., September 1, 2000; 91(3): 573 - 579. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]