The ouchless place: No pain, children's gain

In summary, this article presents a description of an attempt to systematically reduce the pain associated with hospitalization. The idea was to create a unified approach across disciplines and shifts focused on children's pain relief. A multidisciplinary committee was formed to identify the barriers to adequate pain control. Through the use of standardized pain assessment techniques and pain relief protocols, much of the variability that was inherent in the previous system was eliminated. Once such an integrated system is in place, quality assurance mechanisms can monitor it's efficacy. Although we feel we have made dramatic improvements in our unit, a continuing effort is necessary to remind the nursing and medical staff of the importance of the the Ouchless Place philosophy as an underpinning of our approach to medical care. Continued careful oversight remains necessary as no one discipline is responsible for all of the components. This approach does not rely on expensive pain services or highly technical methods of providing care and is therefore applicable to any setting in which ill children are cared for. By attending carefully to their comfort and anxiety, we feel we can dramatically decrease the burden that illness imposes on hospitalized children and their families and create a more pleasant environment for the children, parents, and staff alike.