title: Exposure to invasive procedures in neonatal intensive care unit admissions.
abstract: The nature and numbers of invasive procedures were studied in 54 consecutive infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit. Over 3000 procedures were recorded, 74% in infants below 31 weeks of gestation. One infant (23 weeks' gestation, birth weight 560 g) underwent 488 procedures. Heel prick blood sampling was the most common procedure (56%), followed by endotracheal suction (26%) and intravenous cannula insertion (8%). Invasive procedures which would cause pain or distress to a child are frequently performed on infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. A reduction in the number of procedures, modifying them, or providing adequate analgesia could relieve some of this pain and distress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatal Medicine and Surgery, Nottingham City Hospital.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rutter
mesh_terms: D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002404:Catheterization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004322:Drainage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011677:Punctures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*