title: Care of infants after major surgery: observation of behavior and analgesic administration.
abstract: To examine pain management in infants after surgery, 12 infants were observed and audiovisually recorded for 24 hours postoperatively following major surgery. Analgesic administration, sleep-awake states, facial expression-vocalization, and care routines were monitored. A clinical pain scoring system (Attia, Amiel-Tison, Mayer, Shnider, & Barrier, 1987) was used to analyze the video tapes. Only 5 infants showed occasional episodes of quiet sleep and were awake for 50% of the observed episodes. Moaning-crying was observed in 56% of the episodes for 4 infants and in 29% of the episodes for 6 infants. Analysis using the pain scoring system showed 36% of the episodes to have scores below 14 (M = 7.7). Results indicated that pain management was inconsistent, care routines need to be changed and better coordinated, and environmental issues must be addressed.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Elander
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hellström
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Qvarnström
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D013527:Perioperative Nursing; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012890:Sleep; D014743:Videotape Recording
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics