TY - JOUR A2 - Mace, Sharon Elizabeth AU - Puchalski Ritchie, Lisa M. AU - Howie, Stephen R. C. AU - Njai, Pamela Collier PY - 2010 DA - 2010/06/22 TI - Development of a Pain Management Protocol for a Paediatric Ward in the Gambia, West Africa SP - 975313 VL - 2010 AB - Despite recent advances in our understanding of paediatric pain and its management, pain continues to be undertreated globally, particularly in children and in low income countries. This article describes the development of a paediatric analgesia and sedation protocol, tailored to the specific setting of the Medical Research Council (MRC) paediatric ward in the Gambia, West Africa. An iterative process was used throughout development, with inputs from the medical literature, local providers, and pain experts, incorporated to ensure a safe, effective, and locally appropriate protocol. We demonstrate that evidence-based published guidelines, can and should be adapted to allow for optimal pain management given the resources and capabilities of specific health care settings. It is hoped that the process and protocol described here, will not only help to improve care on the MRC ward, but serve as an example to others working toward improving pain management in similar health care settings. SN - 1687-9740 UR - https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/975313 DO - 10.1155/2010/975313 JF - International Journal of Pediatrics PB - Hindawi Publishing Corporation KW - ER -