title: Judgments of pain in the neonatal intensive care setting: a survey of direct care staffs' perceptions of pain in infants at risk for neurological impairment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether healthcare professionals believe the pain of infants at risk for neurologic impairment differs from that of typical infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neonatal intensive care units at 2 tertiary pediatric centers in Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-nine healthcare professionals who practice in the neonatal intensive care unit (51 nurses, 19 physicians, 18 respiratory therapists, 11 other). MAJOR MEASURES: Participants completed the Pain Opinion Questionnaire. It elicits beliefs regarding the similarity of the pain experienced by infants at mild, moderate, and severe risk for neurologic impairment relative to those without risk for neurologic impairment along 5 pain facets (ie, sensation, emotional reaction, behavioral reaction, communication, incidence).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain Opinion Questionnaire scores varied by level of risk of neurologic impairment (mild, moderate, severe) and pain facet. Respondents believed infants with risk were overall less likely to experience pain similar to infants without risk as the level of risk increased [F(2,97) = 66.0, P < 0.001] and were more likely to have a reduced pain experience relative to infants without risk as the level of risk increased [F(2,97) = 62.2, P < 0.001]. Pain Opinion Questionnaire scores did not vary due to profession, experience, gender, or age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Professionals expressed the belief that neurologically impaired infants' pain experience is reduced, relative to infants without impairment, as their level of risk for neurologic impairment increases. This belief did not vary due to professional experience or personal factors. Future studies should investigate the source of these beliefs and their impact on the pain management provided to infants with risk for neurologic impairment.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Pain Service, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. lbreau@ns.sympatico.ca
authors.forename: Lynn M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Breau
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beyene
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camfield
authors.forename: G Allen
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Finley
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franck
authors.forename: Sharyn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gibbins
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Howlett
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McKeever
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohlsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001519:Behavior; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003142:Communication; D003469:Culture; D003625:Data Collection; D004501:Education, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D009726:Nurses; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010820:Physicians; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires