Nurses’ experiences with pain and fear among preschool children admitted to the emergency department

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This study explores nurses’ experiences caring for acutely ill children aged 4 to 7 years in emergency departments in Denmark in June 2023. Using a descriptive study design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 nurses whose work experience ranged from 1 to 42 years. Thematic analysis identified four themes: Enhancing the nurse – child relationship , Pain and fear in pediatric emergency care , The nurse, child, and parent collaboration , and Time and workflow . Strong nurse–child relationships were found to support better care, while nurses described navigating complex, often intertwined presentations of pain and fear, requiring tailored strategies. Collaboration between nurse, child, and parent emerged as essential to creating a supportive environment, and nurses described a continual need to balance time and workflow pressures against relational, quality care. Findings suggest nurses draw on varied relational tools to engage children and parents in alleviating pain and fear, highlighting opportunities to improve pain and fear management and to more deliberately involve parents in care. The study underscores the need for ongoing training and support to strengthen nurses’ skills in pediatric emergency care.