Perioperative P6 electroacupuncture in awake patients significantly reduced the occurrence of nausea compared with the sham and control groups, but it did not significantly reduce the incidence or number of episodes of emesis or the use of rescue antiemetics. Sham acupuncture may exacerbate the severity but not the incidence of emesis. The efficacy of P6 acupuncture for PONV prevention is similar to commonly used pharmacotherapies. Its appropriate role in prevention and treatment of PONV requires further study.

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Prospectively compare parent/nurse controlled analgesia (PNCA) to continuous opioid infusion (COI) in the post-operative neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) population. Design/Methods: A randomized controlled trial compared neonates treated with morphine PNCA to those treated with morphine COI. The primary outcome was average opioid consumption up to 3 post-operative days. Secondary outcomes included 1) pain intensity, 2) adverse events that may be directly related to opioid consumption, and 3) parent and nurse satisfaction. Results: The sample consisted of 25 post-operative neonates and young infants randomized to either morphine PNCA (n ¼ 16) or COI (n ¼ 9). Groups differed significantly on daily opioid consumption, with the PNCA group receiving significantly less opioid (P ¼ .02). Groups did not differ on average pain score or frequency of adverse events (P values > .05). Parents in both groups were satisfied with their infant's pain management and parents in the PNCA group were slightly more satisfied with their level of involvement (P ¼ .03). Groups did not differ in nursing satisfaction. Conclusions: PNCA may be an effective alternative to COI for pain management in the NICU population. This method may also substantially reduce opioid consumption, provide more individualized care, and improve parent satisfaction with their level of participation. Clinical Implications: Patients in the NICU represent one of our most vulnerable patient populations. As nurses strive to provide safe and effective pain management, results of this study suggest PNCA may allow nurses to maintain their patients' comfort while providing less opioid and potentially improving parental perception of involvement. Study Type: Treatment study. Level of Evidence: I.