91 Audit of Pain, Sedation and Withdrawal Practices in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands

Abstract

show that pre-encountered data and knowing the patient are important factors. Expert nurses mobilise their knowledge to discriminate between pain-related agitation and agitation caused by other factors by generating hypothesis. They perform analgesic tests to confirm or refute pain. Counterbalancing the benefits and adverse effects of analgesia and sedation is also part of their clinical judgement when making decision about pain management. Conclusions The clinical context of the patient plays an important part in nurses' judgment about pain. To facilitate this difficult task, pain assessment should be combined with sedation assessment in critically ill children.