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Infant distress: moving toward concept clarity

Linda A Hatfield1, Rosemary C Polomano

  • 1Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6096, USA. lhat@nursing.upenn.edu

Clinical Nursing Research
|June 8, 2011
PubMed

Infants' inability to articulate their pain and distress and the diverse range of behavioral responses evoked by painful stimuli may partially explain the challenges associated with the treatment of pain in neonates and infants. To assist nurses in distinguishing nonspecific distress responses from specific pain responses, a concept analysis using Wilson's method was preformed. An evaluation of published, peer reviewed literature referencing distress in neonates and infants was conducted to extract meaningful information related to distress. This article examines the essential features, antecedents, and consequences of infant distress to generate an evidence-based definition that has relevance for neonatal and pediatric research and clinical practice.

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