Nurses' knowledge and practices regarding pain management in newborns

Abstract

Objective:To analyze nurses' knowledge and practices regarding pain management of newborns admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Method: A descriptive and crosssectional study. Data were collected from 51 nurses based on an adapted questionnaire aimed at evaluating knowledge and practices regarding the management of neonatal pain in six hospitals in Curitiba and its Metropolitan Region. Results: For most nurses (86.0%), neonates feel pain. A total of 34.7% of the nurses reported never using pain assessment scales. Pain management was recorded by 84.3% of the nurses. Administered pharmacological measures were Paracetamol and Fentanyl (47.1%) and Morphine (17.6%); while non-pharmacological measures adopted were sweetened solution (68.6%), non-nutritive sucking (58.8%) and positioning (56.9%). Conclusion: Nurses considered neonatal pain a real event; however, they do not perform pain assessment or treatment of newborns in a systematized way. It is necessary to implement knowledge translation strategies in order to improve pain management in newborns.

Neonatal pain management among nurses and midwives at two Kigali hospitals

“…This finding correlates with other studies, [21,22] which indicated that nurses had poor knowledge of neonatal pain management. In contrast, other studies, [7,12,16,17] reflected higher scores.…”

“…A study in Iran found similar results, [21] whereby pharmacological interventions were rarely used, or never used. [17,21] These findings contrast with the use of non-pharmacological interventions which participants reported as always used. These findings seem understandable given that the use of comfort measures is a fundamental role of nurses.…”

“…In contrast, sweet solution (68.6%) and nonnutritive sucking (58.8%) were used in Bangladesh, [26] and oral glucose/sucrose (68.6%) as the first common non-pharmacological measure used in Brazil. [17] Using a combination of various non-pharmacological measures achieves high effectiveness than when one of these measures is used alone. [25,28] Participants reported the use of sucrose (sugar) to relieve neonatal pain as never/ rarely by 81.82%.…”

“…[7,13,16] Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of nurses impact the effectiveness of pain management. [17] Knowledge deficits may also lead nurses to have resistant attitudes toward appropriate neonatal pain management. [13] Nurses and midwives are the most consistent neonatal caregivers; therefore, nursing assessments of pain and their related pain practices are of critical importance.…”

Manejo da dor neonatal pela equipe de enfermagem: uma prática assistencial sedimentada?

“…Essas manifestações podem ser de difícil identificação e avaliação, por isso é fundamental a observação criteriosa e individualizada e a utilização de escalas que possam auxiliar a dimensionar a dor. [2][3] No entanto, no cotidiano da prática assistencial ao recém-nascido observam-se dificuldades dos profissionais de saúde relacionadas a avaliação e tratamento da dor neonatal.…”