Conclusion
The importance of improving pediatric pain assessment has been well documented in the literature. Nurses' are primarily responsible for assessing pain and response to interventions in the ED patient. Significant improvements in nurses' pain knowledge can be achieved through a computer-based education program. Translating this knowledge to practice can then occur, as presented in Figure 1, via the implementation of a pain assessment protocol. Together these serve as a platform for optimal care delivery. However, education and availability of practice standards alone may not translate to actual improvement in care delivered by nurses. Exploration of factors contributing to nurses' decisions to use new pediatric pain-related knowledge in practice must be explored and addressed. Further, ongoing quality measurement will provide a mechanism to sustain this project over time. Appropriate identification and documentation of pain is the first step in successful pain management.