BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pain is a complex and subjective phenomenon which marks children's lives in a unique manner. This study aimed at understanding the nursing team perception with regard to managing and evaluating pain in hospitalized children. METHOD: This is a descriptive and qualitative study. Data were collected by means of semi-structured survey in the month of May 2011. Participated in this study 11 nursing team professionals working in the pediatric department of a teaching hospital. RESULTS: Four categories were analyzed: "The meaning of hospitalized children crying"; "Pain evaluation by the nursing team"; "Perceiving pain situations in hospitalized children"; and "Minimizing pain in hospitalized children". It was evidenced that professionals do recognize children's pain, however they do not use validated methods to measure it. Pharmacological pain control was considered by the professionals as the primary method to relieve this symptom. CONCLUSION: Nursing professionals are committed to the identification of children's pain, however pain control-related knowledge is fragile because most professionals are limited to pharmacological methods and do not see the problem in a broader way, thus making impossible a better assistance.
Children; Children's health; Pain; Pediatric nursing team