"My child was distressed while getting stitches"

Recently, my infant child sustained a gaping laceration under their chin.

Arriving at RPAH, I felt that we were seen by a triage nurse very quickly then directed to paediatric emergency.

Our experience was satisfactory while waiting for a nurse and then when being addressed by a nurse. The nurse applied a numbing gel to the laceration and indicated that a doctor would decide if glue or stitches would be required.

For this first hour after arriving at the hospital, I found that my child was distressed and crying and I believe the doctor and nurse both observed this so they were aware of my child’s temperament. After about an hour, my child calmed and stopped crying.

I recall the doctor discussing with me that stitches would be required and because of my child's age, nitrous oxide is recommended to sedate them. The doctor indicated that while sedated, my child may still move around a little and appear uncomfortable.

During the procedure, I found that my child screamed, thrashed about, and was highly distressed. My child was crying when I helped them lie on the bed and I recall my child's crying escalated to distress from there.

I was shocked and myself distressed at the state of my child so at one point during the procedure I asked if it was going as expected and I remember the doctor said that it was.

I asked the nurse if my child was OK and as I understand it, the nurse commented that they had seen my child’s eyes glaze over once the nitrous oxide administration had begun so was confident my child was OK. I recall the doctor commented that my child didn’t feel pain as when the needle was inserted for the first stitch, my child's state did not change.

I am as confident as I can be that my child was not in severe physical pain during the procedure. My complaint relates to the level of emotional distress I feel my child displayed. I believe due to the level of distress my child continued to display after nitrous oxide had begun to be administered, a review should have immediately taken place to assess if the level of sedation achievable by nitrous oxide would be able to sufficiently calm my child’s distress and I believe this assessment would have been in the negative.

Instead the procedure was completed while my child screamed and thrashed in distress.

In my opinion, the aim of sedation should have been to sufficiently reduce physical pain and emotional distress for my child.

I believe the procedure was continued without sufficient sedation and I felt traumatized, shocked, and upset.