Children Suffering Post Traumatic Extremity Injuries Nursing Essay

Children Suffering Post Traumatic Extremity Injuries Nursing Essay

children suffering post traumatic extremity injuries. Acute pain sustained by children suffering post traumatic extremity injuries can be quite harrowing experience for them. Oral analgesics provide relief from pain, and are commonly prescribed in the pediatric emergency setting before the implementation of narcotic medications. Of the many oral analgesics offered today, acetaminophen – codeine and ibuprofen are quite widely prescribed. There is little literature to indicate if acetaminophen – codeine or ibuprofen provides better pain relief in children.

WRITE THIS ESSAY FOR ME

Tell us about your assignment and we will find the best writer for your paper.

Get Help Now!

The article “Ibuprofen provides analgesia equivalent to acetaminophen – codeine in the treatment of acute pain in children with extremity injuries: a randomized clinical trial” (Friday, Kanegaye, McCaslin, Zheng and Harley 2009, p.711), aims to answer which of the two drugs provides better analgesia in children suffering acute extremity injuries.

This essay aims to provide a critical appraisal using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) questions for randomized controlled trials (Public Health Resource Unit, 2006) as headings. This essay will begin with a summary of the article and then go on to critically appraise the article using questions from CASP and a conclusion with a summary and reflection on the critique.

Friday et al (2009) seeks to answer whether acetaminophen – codeine or ibuprofen provides better analgesia in children with extremity injuries. Over a period from November 2002 to February 2004, children between the ages 5 to 17 years of age were randomly assigned to a group prescribed acetaminophen – codeine or ibuprofen suffering traumatic extremity injuries. Written and informed consent was obtained before participants were randomized to a study group. In total 153 participants were assessed for suitability for the study.

Of these 153, 68 participants were randomized, 34 to the acetaminophen – codeine group and 34 to the ibuprofen group. The children were randomly assigned to one of the two medication groups using a computer randomization process. Study envelopes were prepared by a person not involved in the study using sealed opaque envelopes containing prewritten prescriptions for either drug to avoid bias or inadvertent disclosure by the nurse administering the drug.

Participants were then asked to rate their pain at baseline, 20, 40 and 60 minute intervals using a Color Analogue Scale (CAS). Of the 68 participants, only 2 participants belonging to the acetaminophen – codeine group were excluded from the final results due to benzodiazepine administration and improper data collection. The results show that there w………………………