Moving on: A survey of Canadian nurses’ self-reported transition practices for young people with chronic pain

BACKGROUND: Practices to support the transition of a young person from the pediatric to the adult health care setting have been examined for many chronic illness populations. However, specific transition practices to support young people with chronic pain have not been examined. AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the current nursing practices used in the pediatric and the adult health care to support transition of young people with chronic pain in Canada. METHODS: An online survey of pediatric and adult chronic pain nurses’ self-reported transition practices was conducted. RESULTS: Twenty-two nurses completed the survey, 10 (45.5%) from the pediatric chronic pain setting and 12 (54.4%) from the adult chronic pain setting. Of the pediatric nurses surveyed none reported using a psychometrically valid tool to assess a young person’s readiness of general transition skills; however, one reported using a tool to assess understanding of chronic pain. Most health care facilities in which these pediatric nurses worked offered a general transition clinic, but only one of these facilities also had a chronic pain transition clinic. Nurses in both settings perceived that young people experience increased levels of distress during transition yet most did not report using formal transition practices in their care. CONCLUSION: Nursing practices and clinic resources to support the transition of young people with chronic pain may not meet the needs of this population. Practices may benefit from the use of psychometrically validated tools to assess general transition preparedness. Research is needed to adapt tools and determine best transition practices for the chronic pain population.