Nonverbal pain you can't figure out!!

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

I have had 2 very similar patients this past week and they both caused me a great deal of frustration!!

Both were toddlers with a GI bug, who at one point in the night woke up and cried and then started screaming upset; tearing at their IVs and their parents boths said the same thing, "She wasn't ever upset like THIS" and one, "This is JUST NOT my daughter!!" OK, IVs were checked meticulously, by myself and other nurses, and found to be functional. One kid got Mylicon and Zofran in the space of a few minutes, and then seemed calmer immediately but before it seemed the med would actually have had time to take effect; another got Tylenol twice in one shift!! Yes, I let doctors know in both cases, but- what do you do in cases like this where you have NO IDEA what is really bothering the kid? And their parents are sitting there saying "I wish I knew what was wrong with you, what's the matter? Oh I'm so sorry... My poor baby... She is definitely hurting... What's the matter? I just don't know..." I can understand it for sure, but it is hard to deal with when they go on and on like this, and look at you like YOU can somehow magically know what is bothering their child and why, at 2 in the morning, they decided to act in this manner they never have before! Yes I know it's my job, but it's driven me crazy the past 2 shifts I've worked. I don't know what else to do?

I guess I am venting and asking advice, at the same time, so thanks for listening!

[ItsyBitsySpider, BSN, RN]

Hey Rachel,

We've been seeing alot of this on the unit I work in. Lots of GI bugs, mostly Rodavirus. We'll get the kids pretty calmed down, Zantac is a miracle drug, but sometimes they'll just start screaming with stomach pain. I think it just comes with the virus. GI cocktails work great, depending on their age, but sometimes just Tylenol or Motrin and a good cuddler is all we can do.

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

Yeah... you're right. Last night one of those same kids did better but this morning, started crying again. we tried a heel-warmer along with the meds, to hold on her belly, and it seemed to help her out a LOT. makes sense, I like a warm rag or something when I get crampy kinda pains, so that's something i'll try again. but glad to hear we're not alone

[jillyk*rn]

hi,

gi bugs...they gotta be having tummy pain.:barf01:

of course they are acting differently than they do at home, they are sick and in the hospital.

just remember, a child in pain (do you use the faces scale for little ones??), need to be medicated (and comforted).

it sounds like you did a great job in making them feel better:yeah: .

great patient advocacy!!