Painful procedures

[storyconnect]

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Hi all, I'm a journalist and working on a story about painful procedures that kids go through regularly like immunizations and blood draws. I'd love to hear what you have observed in the field -- how do you or the other doctors you see administer shots? Did you notice big differences between hospital and private practice ways or between different doctors/nurses? Was pain relief for regular procedures covered in your lectures, etc.? Any help/comment on this subject would be greatly appreciated. I really hope to get some pediatrician perspective. I'm at [email protected] and awaiting your responses. Thanks so much! -Julia

 

[chhsu]

I think most of us have a few questions before responding to your thread such as - who do you write for? Why is this article being written? Where is it going to be published? In what context is this article written? What is your background and do you have a conflict of interest in this subject? Etc, etc, etc.

 

[storyconnect]

Hi, thanks for raising these questions. If you emailed me I'd be happy to chat one on one.
This is for the Wall Street Journal, I have recently written another health story for the paper on preconception health.
I'm just exploring the topic for now, after noticing that some hospitals launched special programs like the PainFree Pediatrics at Boston Medical. At the same time, it seems that the latest in pain relief doesn't seem to translate into private practice quickly and am trying to understand why. How do doctors approach these regular procedures and the pain that may be involved? IN any case there doesn't seem to be much standardization, but I need to talk to more doctors to see if that's so. That's the context I guess.

As for conflicts of interest, I'm not sure what you are referring to? I'm a journalist, not a doctor and am reaching out to hear from some of you folks.

Thanks! Julia ([email protected])

 

[emeddo]

No offense, but if the wall street journal starts using studentdoctor.net for its opinions or data I have just lost a lot of respect for it as a reporting entity. There are much more reliable resources from more reputable sources. I would start with the AAP. Don't get me wrong, I love Student Doctor, but it has never claimed to be or shown to be a depository of 100% reliable information and there is no want to verify the credibility of it's sources

 

[twohearted]

I don't think too many docs give immunizations or draw blood. At my clinic, I rarely even see the docs in the lab where such proceedures take place. I think this question could be beter answered by a nurse, phlebotomist, or a med assistant.

 

[twohearted]

Did you notice big differences between hospital and private practice ways or between different doctors/nurses? Was pain relief for regular procedures covered in your lectures, etc.?

Everyone has their own "style", if you will, of how to administer shots as well as draw blood. As far as major differences - no, for the most of it, two people do these procedures very similarly. The idea of pain relief is pretty ridiculous, I think. Other than trying to calm the occassional anxious patient, most people don't seem to be concerned about the small pain of their blood being drawn, or the almost unnoticable pain of most immunizations. I think what really upsets patients is not pain, but the idea of being stuck with something. Seeing a needle and anticipating being stuck is disconcerting to some. In that regard, the most important thing is providing some sense of comfort to the patient.

 

[Colinator]

i'd have to say my experience is a bit different. from my experience "pain free" in medicine reduced to having a pro (good nurse, phlebotomist) draw blood as efficiently as possible (one stick=least amount of pain and anxiety). however, i worked at the NIH in a peds branch for a year prior to medical school where pain was seriously avoided . . . the whole idea of not harming normal control children for research. obtaining serum samples was standard for most protocols and always involved applying EMLA cream about 30 minutes to an hour prior to the procedure so the area was anesthetized when it came time to draw. granted, as mentioned above, the biggest problem the kiddos have is just fear/anxiety, not pain from the procedure, so many would be wary/cry/etc anyway. but when it came time for a second visit, they were less upset having had a pain free draw the first time.

 

[BigNavyPedsGuy]

Hi, thanks for raising these questions. If you emailed me I'd be happy to chat one on one.
This is for the Wall Street Journal, I have recently written another health story for the paper on preconception health.
I'm just exploring the topic for now, after noticing that some hospitals launched special programs like the PainFree Pediatrics at Boston Medical. At the same time, it seems that the latest in pain relief doesn't seem to translate into private practice quickly and am trying to understand why. How do doctors approach these regular procedures and the pain that may be involved? IN any case there doesn't seem to be much standardization, but I need to talk to more doctors to see if that's so. That's the context I guess.

As for conflicts of interest, I'm not sure what you are referring to? I'm a journalist, not a doctor and am reaching out to hear from some of you folks.

Thanks! Julia ([email protected])

A writer for the Wall Street Journal 1) has to use a yahoo address? 2) Goes to an online message board with sources she can't trust to find info? and 3) can't set up face to face meetings with doctors?

I'm sorry, but I just don't believe you are who you say you are, and therefore, nobody should trust you to give you answers.

Just my opinion . . . .