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Finley, G. Allen

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10222/15742

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  • ItemOpen Access
    A Delphi study to identify indicators of poorly managed pain for pediatric postoperative and procedural pain
    (2013-09) Twycross, A. M.; Maclaren Chorney, J.; McGrath, P. J.; Finley, G. A.; Boliver, D. M.; Mifflin, K. A.
    BACKGROUND: Adverse health care events are injuries occurring as a result of patient care. Significant acute pain is often caused by medical and surgical procedures in children, and it has been argued that undermanaged pain should be considered to be an adverse event. Indicators are often used to identify other potential adverse events. There are currently no validated indicators for undertreated pediatric pain. OBJECTIVES: To develop a preliminary list of indicators of undermanaged pain in hospitalized pediatric patients. METHODS: The Delphi technique was used to survey experts in pediatric pain management and quality improvement. The first round used an electronic questionnaire to ask: "In your opinion, what indicators would signify that acute pain in a child has not been adequately controlled?" Responses were grouped together in semantically similar themes, providing a list of possible adverse event indicators. Using this list, an electronic questionnaire was developed for round 2 asking respondents to indicate the importance of each potential indicator. RESULTS: All but one indicator achieved a level of consensus >/=70%. Separate indicators emerged for postoperative and procedural pain. An additional distinction was made between indicators that could be identified by chart review and those requiring observation of practice and assessment from the child or parent. DISCUSSION: The adverse care indicators developed in the present study require further refinement. There is a need to test their clinical usability and to determine whether these indicators actually identify undermanaged pain in clinical practice. The present study is an important first step in identifying undermanaged pain in hospital and treating it as an adverse event. CONCLUSION: The adverse care indicators developed in the present study are the first step in conceptualizing mismanaged pain as an adverse event.
  • ItemOpen Access
    Pharmacological management of chronic neuropathic pain - consensus statement and guidelines from the Canadian Pain Society
    (2007-Spring) Moulin, D. E.; Clark, A. J.; Gilron, I.; Ware, M. A.; Watson, C. P.; Sessle, B. J.; Coderre, T.; Morley-Forster, P. K.; Stinson, J.; Boulanger, A.; Peng, P.; Finley, G. A.; Taenzer, P.; Squire, P.; Dion, D.; Cholkan, A.; Gilani, A.; Gordon, A.; Henry, J.; Jovey, R.; Lynch, M.; Mailis-Gagnon, A.; Panju, A.; Rollman, G. B.; Velly, A.; Canadian Pain Society
    Neuropathic pain (NeP), generated by disorders of the peripheral and central nervous system, can be particularly severe and disabling. Prevalence estimates indicate that 2% to 3% of the population in the developed world suffer from NeP, which suggests that up to one million Canadians have this disabling condition. Evidence-based guidelines for the pharmacological management of NeP are therefore urgently needed. Randomized, controlled trials, systematic reviews and existing guidelines focusing on the pharmacological management of NeP were evaluated at a consensus meeting. Medications are recommended in the guidelines if their analgesic efficacy was supported by at least one methodologically sound, randomized, controlled trial showing significant benefit relative to placebo or another relevant control group. Recommendations for treatment are based on degree of evidence of analgesic efficacy, safety, ease of use and cost-effectiveness. Analgesic agents recommended for first-line treatments are certain antidepressants (tricyclics) and anticonvulsants (gabapentin and pregabalin). Second-line treatments recommended are serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors and topical lidocaine. Tramadol and controlled-release opioid analgesics are recommended as third-line treatments for moderate to severe pain. Recommended fourth-line treatments include cannabinoids, methadone and anticonvulsants with lesser evidence of efficacy, such as lamotrigine, topiramate and valproic acid. Treatment must be individualized for each patient based on efficacy, side-effect profile and drug accessibility, including cost. Further studies are required to examine head-to-head comparisons among analgesics, combinations of analgesics, long-term outcomes, and treatment of pediatric and central NeP.
  • ItemOpen Access
    Drugs for chronic pain in children: a commentary on clinical practice and the absence of evidence
    (2013-01) Gregoire, M. C.; Finley, G. A.
    Pediatric chronic pain is widespread, under-recognized and undertreated. Best management usually involves a multimodal approach coordinated by a multidisciplinary team. The present commentary specifically discusses common pharmacological approaches to chronic pain in children, identifies gaps in knowledge and suggests several research directions that would benefit future clinical care.
  • ItemOpen Access
    Living with difference: Exploring the social self of adolescents with chronic pain
    (2013-12) Forgeron, P. A.; Evans, J.; McGrath, P. J.; Stevens, B.; Finley, G. A.
    BACKGROUND: Chronic pain negatively affects an adolescent's life; however, little is known about the social impact of chronic pain for adolescents. More is known about the general peer relationships of adolescents with chronic pain than their close friendships. Close friendships begin to take on more importance during adolescence as these relationships facilitate the development of an adolescent's sense of personal identity and increasing independence from family influences. Thus, chronic pain may create friendship challenges for adolescents beyond those typically experienced during this developmental trajectory, which may negatively impact their abilities to secure social support. OBJECTIVES: To better understand the challenges adolescents with chronic pain face with regard to their friendships. METHODS: An interpretative phenomenological study using individual interviews was conducted. RESULTS: Two themes emerged. 'Rethinking the self with pain' describes the intrusive nature of chronic pain, challenging the participants to rethink the way they view themselves and their place within their social network. 'Rethinking friendships' describes the interpretation of their friends' reactions to their chronic pain condition, which led to these adolescents spending more time by themselves, and feeling misunderstood and unsupported. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of chronic pain on the adolescent as an individual as well as the responses of close friends and others within their social network resulted in the development of new friendship needs. However, the adolescents were not always able to secure these new friendship needs. Their experiences suggest factors within friendships that may be ameliorated by interventions, thus maintaining and strengthening their close friendships.
  • ItemOpen Access
    Cultural influences on the assessment of children's pain
    (2009-01) Finley, G. A.; Kristjansdottir, O.; Forgeron, P. A.
    Culture is commonly regarded as a factor in pain behaviour and experience, but the meaning of the term is often unclear. There is little evidence that pain perception is modified by cultural or ethnic factors, but pain expression by children and interpretation by caregivers may be affected by the culture of the patient or the caregiver. The present paper examines some of the research regarding cultural influences on children's pain assessment, and addresses directions for future research. A focus on cultural influences should not distract clinicians from the need to be sensitive to individual beliefs and attitudes.