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Assessment and management of pain and distress in the neonate

Mae M Coleman1, Kolawole Solarin, Christine Smith

  • 1Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Thomas Jefferson University, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Rilkean648@aol.com

Advances in Neonatal Care : Official Journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses
|August 9, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Effective neonatal pain management is crucial. This review covers pain physiology, assessment tools, interventions, and guidelines for recognizing and treating pain and distress in newborns.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal medicine
  • Pediatric pain management
  • Clinical nursing

Background:

  • Pain management is a critical component of neonatal intensive care.
  • Neonatal pain and distress can have significant short- and long-term physiological and developmental impacts.
  • Effective pain assessment and management are essential for optimal infant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive review of neonatal pain and distress.
  • To discuss the physiology, assessment, and clinical interventions for neonatal pain.
  • To highlight current guidelines and controversies in neonatal pain management.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of relevant studies and guidelines.
  • Synthesis of information on neonatal pain physiology and impact.
  • Analysis of pain assessment tools and clinical interventions.

Main Results:

  • Neonatal pain necessitates careful physiological monitoring and targeted interventions.
  • Various validated tools exist for assessing pain in neonates.
  • Evidence-based clinical interventions can effectively manage neonatal pain and distress.
  • Current guidelines emphasize proactive pain recognition and treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Optimizing neonatal pain management requires a multidisciplinary approach.
  • Adherence to current guidelines improves the recognition and treatment of pain in neonates.
  • Ongoing research and discussion are needed to address controversies in neonatal pain management.

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