title: PAIN--perception and assessment of painful procedures in the NICU.
abstract: This prospective cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the frequency of procedural pain among 101 neonates in the first 14 days of admission to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in South India and to study the perception of health-care professionals (HCP) about newborn procedural pain. The total number of painful procedures was 8.09 ± 5.53 per baby per day and 68.32 ± 64.78 per baby during hospital stay. The most common procedure was heel prick (30%). The HCP were administered a questionnaire to assess their perception of pain for various procedures. Procedures were perceived as more painful by nurses than by doctors. Chest tube placements and lumbar puncture were considered most painful. This study shows that the neonates in the NICU in developing countries experience many painful procedures. The awareness about this intensity of pain should provide a valuable tool in formulating pain-reduction protocols for management in low resource settings.
authors: Department of Neonatology, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka 560034, India.
authors: Carl Denis
authors: CD
authors: Britto
authors: Department of Neonatology, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka 560034, India raosumanv@rediffmail.com.
authors: Suman
authors: S
authors: Rao Pn
authors: Department of Neonatology, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka 560034, India.
authors: Saudamini
authors: S
authors: Nesargi
authors: Department of Pediatrics, St. John's College of Nursing, Bangalore, Karnataka 560034, India.
authors: Sitara
authors: S
authors: Nair
authors: Department of Neonatology, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka 560034, India.
authors: Shashidhar
authors: S
authors: Rao
authors: Department of Neonatology, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka 560034, India.
authors: Theradian
authors: T
authors: Thilagavathy
authors: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and neck surgery, St. John's Medical College Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka 560034, India.
authors: Armugam
authors: A
authors: Ramesh
authors: Department of Neonatology, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka 560034, India.
authors: Swarnarekha
authors: S
authors: Bhat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010465:Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Pain; assessment; neonates; perception; procedures