Nursing Care for Neonates in Pain
Section: TEACHING TO LEARN
Authors
Demelza Pérez Sánchez, Sonia Santamaría Felipe, Idoia Zamora Cordero
Position
Enfermeras de la Unidad Neonatal. Hospital Txagorritxu, Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Contact email: aduna20@hotmail.com
Abstract
Introduction: In recent years there have been many advances both technological and in relation to the handling and care of the newborn. This has contributed to increased survival rates of preterm infants resulting in a greater exposure to all types of procedures, many of them painful. Misconceptions that until recently defended the lack of treatment of pain in neonates have been disappearing due to research-based evidence. So we set ourselves the goal to describe nursing care aimed at the assessment, prevention and treatment of pain in neonates.
Material and methods: We performed a review of the literature published between 2000 and 2011 using the OVID, Cuiden, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Fisterrae databases. We also searched on Google and studied the Pediatric journal, which was available to us through the Osakidetza corporate website.
Results: We analyzed 23 articles that studied pain scales applicable in neonatal units. These articles also studied non-pharmacological methods such as non-nutritive sucking, giving sucrose or breastfeeding. The articles also refer to postural measures as kangaroo care, proper positioning of the newborn, diversion measures such as massage, environmental measures such as noise control, and finally discuss optimization of frequent techniques and care of the newborn.
Conclusions: Regarding the assessment of pain in the newborn the importance of using scales that have previously proved their validity and reliability is demonstrated. On the other hand, the use of different non-pharmacological measures for prevention and treatment of pain is extensively validated in the articles reviewed. We stress the importance of establishing protocols in neonatal units that include the use of appropriate scales and non-pharmacological analgesic methods or other non-pharmacological measures.
Material and methods: We performed a review of the literature published between 2000 and 2011 using the OVID, Cuiden, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Fisterrae databases. We also searched on Google and studied the Pediatric journal, which was available to us through the Osakidetza corporate website.
Results: We analyzed 23 articles that studied pain scales applicable in neonatal units. These articles also studied non-pharmacological methods such as non-nutritive sucking, giving sucrose or breastfeeding. The articles also refer to postural measures as kangaroo care, proper positioning of the newborn, diversion measures such as massage, environmental measures such as noise control, and finally discuss optimization of frequent techniques and care of the newborn.
Conclusions: Regarding the assessment of pain in the newborn the importance of using scales that have previously proved their validity and reliability is demonstrated. On the other hand, the use of different non-pharmacological measures for prevention and treatment of pain is extensively validated in the articles reviewed. We stress the importance of establishing protocols in neonatal units that include the use of appropriate scales and non-pharmacological analgesic methods or other non-pharmacological measures.
Keywords:
neonates; nursing care; painrating scales
Versión en Español
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