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Published on: July 4, 2018

Utilization of analgesics, sedatives, and pain scores in infants with a prolonged hospitalization: a prospective

Denise Harrison1, Peter Loughnan, Elizabeth Manias

  • 1School of Nursing, The University of Melbourne, Australia. denise.harrison@utoronto.ca

International Journal of Nursing Studies
|December 23, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Critically ill infants in neonatal intensive care units received significant amounts of pain and sedation medications, but their pain scores were infrequently documented. This highlights a need for improved pain management strategies in this vulnerable population.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Intensive Care
  • Pediatric Critical Care
  • Pain Management

Background:

  • Critically ill infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) often require analgesia and sedation.
  • Effective pain management is crucial for improving outcomes in neonates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the use of analgesic and sedative medications.
  • To assess the documentation of pain scores in critically ill infants.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, longitudinal cohort study.
  • Infants with a predicted length of stay of at least 28 days were included.
  • Daily collection of medication dosages, routes, and pain score documentation.

Main Results:

  • 55 infants were enrolled; all received oral sucrose.
  • Morphine, acetaminophen, chloral hydrate, and midazolam were commonly administered.
  • Pain scores were documented for only 65% of infants and infrequently recorded.

Conclusions:

  • Substantial and varied use of analgesics and sedatives was observed.
  • Infrequent documentation of pain assessment scores indicates a gap in care.
  • Clinical implications necessitate careful consideration of pain and distress management in neonates.
Abstract

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