State of the science: procedural pain management in the neonate

Neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit experience painful procedures. Over the last 10 years, investigators have examined several pharmacologic and nonpharmacolgic treatment strategies to decrease or eliminate the pain associated with mechanical ventilation, endotrachial intubation, insertion of percutaneous or central venous lines, heel stick, and venipuncture. These procedures and others are addressed as well as the reported severity of pain associated with these procedures. Progress has been made in the past decade to establish evidence-based treatments that will help the clinician more effectively relieve neonatal stress and pain when performing many routine procedures.