PARENT/CAREGIVER INVOLVEMENT TO MANAGE PAIN IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA

Abstract

Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia experience pain from the disease, treatment and procedures. Parents can be effective in managing their child’s pain but little is known about how they learn to do this. This study was framed by Appreciative Inquiry (Cooperrider, 2008) and Interpretive Descriptive methods (Thorne, 2008) were used to describe: pain sources, parents’ pain care role, and key structures supporting their pain care involvement. Eight clinic nurses and ten parents participated and six key themes per group were identified. Parent themes included: establishing therapeutic relationships, relearning how to care for my child, overcoming challenges and recognizing pain, learning parent specific strategies, empowered to take active pain care role, and maintaining relationships. Nurse themes included: establishing relationships, preparing parents to care for their child, facilitating pain assessment, teaching parents best pain care, empowering parents, and maintaining relationships. These findings can be used to guide clinical practice and future research.