Intranasal Fentanyl as a Pain Management Modality During Dressing Changes in the Outpatient Setting

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of intranasal (IN) fentanyl versus an oral opioid for managing pain during a pediatric burn dressing change in the outpatient setting. Methods: Previously healthy children with burn injuries who underwent dressing changes in the outpatient setting were prospectively enrolled in a comparative trial. The patients were matched based on demographics, burn size, and location. The patients were divided into two treatment groups: One group received IN fentanyl immediately before their dressing change, whereas the other group received an oral opioid 30 minutes before their burn clinic visit. Revised Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (rFLACC) pain scores were calculated to assess effectiveness. Results: Sixty-four patients were included (n = 32 per group). rFLACC scores for children who received IN fentanyl decreased from 5.06 ± 2.5 during treatment to 0.50 ± 0.14 after treatment (p
Source: Journal of Pediatric Surgical Nursing - Category: Nursing Tags: Feature Article Source Type: research