NURSE-CONTROLLED ANALGESIA USING A PATIENT-CONTROLLED ANALGESIA DEVICE - AN ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SEVERE CANCER PAIN INCHILDREN

Nurse-controlled analgesia (NCA) using a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device has been described for intensive care and postoperative u se. This report describes the effective use of this technique for seve re episodic and procedural pain in four children with advanced maligna ncy and high opioid requirements where conventional parenteral analges ia had been inadequate. Both morphine and fentanyl were used. Average duration of NCA was 6.75 days (range 4-12).