Nurse-initiated analgesia pathway for paediatric patients in the emergency department: A clinical intervention trial

Abstract

Objective: The study aims to evaluate the impact of a nurse-initiated analgesia pathway (NIAP) intervention for paediatric patients in the ED. Methods: We undertook a pre- and post-intervention trial in a large, tertiary referral, mixed ED. The intervention comprised development and implementation of a comprehensive NIA Standing Order. In addition to paracetamol, which nurses could initiate pre-intervention, they were authorised to administer ibuprofen, paracetamol/codeine combinations and topical local anaesthetics prior to a doctor assessing the patient. All nurses were trained and credentialed prior to administering the NIAP. Patients aged 5-17 years with a triage pain score of ≥4 (Wong-B..