Objectives. -To compare pain and sedation assessments by nurses undertaken wi th the Objective Pain Scale (OPS) and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to the curre nt reference scale for paediatric intensive care that is the COMFORT scale. To c ompare the unmodified COMFORT scale to a COMFORT “behaviour”scale which does n ot include physiologic items. To evaluate the ease of use of these scales. Methods. -This prospective observational comparative study was carried out in childr en aged 1 year or older who were admitted in an intensive care unit. At 2 to 3 time points within 24 hours, a pain sedation assessment was carried out by the nu rse in charge of the child with COMFORT scale, OPS and VAS. Correlation tests we re used to compare the scores of each scale. Results. -Nurses recorded 55 asses sments in 20 children. Correlation studies showed a poor correlation between OPS , VAS and the COMFORT scale (Spearman’s r = 0.54 and 0.53 respectively)-and a strong correlation between the COMFORT scale and the COMFORT “behaviour”scale (Spearman’s r = 0.96). The C OMFORT behaviour scale was the most frequently fully completed scale. Conclusion . -Among the 3 scales compared to the COMFORT scale in this study, the COMFORT “behaviour”scale was the only one to show a strong correlation and it also see med to be the easiest to use.
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