Parents' understanding of information regarding their child's postoperative pain management.

OBJECTIVES: Unlike information provided for research, information disclosed to patients for treatment or procedures is largely unregulated and, as such, there is likely a considerable variability in the type and amount of disclosure. This study was designed to examine the nature of information provided to parents regarding options for postoperative pain control and their understanding thereof.
METHODS: One hundred eighty-seven parents of children scheduled to undergo a surgical procedure requiring inpatient postoperative pain control completed questionnaires that elicited information regarding their perceptions and understanding of, and satisfaction with, information regarding postoperative pain management.
RESULTS: Results showed that there was considerable variability in the content and amount of information provided to parents based on the method of postoperative pain control provided. Parents whose child received patient-controlled analgesia were given significantly (P<0.025) more information on the risks and benefits compared with those receiving nurse controlled or intravenous-prn analgesia. Approximately one third of parents had no understanding of the risks associated with postoperative pain management. Parents who received pain information preoperatively and who were given information regarding the risks and benefits had improved understanding compared with parents who received no or minimal information (P<0.001). Furthermore, information that was deemed unclear or insufficient resulted in decreased parental understanding. DISCUSSION: These results demonstrate the variability in the type and amount of information provided to parents regarding their child's postoperative pain control and reinforce the importance of clear and full disclosure of pain information, particularly with respect to the risks and benefits.