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Published on: January 27, 2010
The premature infant pain profile-revised (PIPP-R): initial validation and feasibility
Bonnie J Stevens1, Sharyn Gibbins, Janet Yamada
1*The Hospital for Sick Children †Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing ¶Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON ‡The Credit Valley Hospital Trillium Health Centre, Mississauga, ON §Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montréal, QC ∥IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada.
The revised Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) shows initial construct validity and feasibility for assessing pain in premature infants. Further studies are needed to explore its use across diverse infant populations and pain responses.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pain assessment in infants
- Pediatric pain management
Background:
- The Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) is a tool used to assess pain in neonates.
- Revisions were made to the PIPP to improve its validity and feasibility.
- The Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) was developed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe revisions to the PIPP.
- To conduct initial construct validation of the PIPP-R.
- To assess the feasibility of using the PIPP-R in clinical settings.
Main Methods:
- Data from two randomized cross-over studies were used for validation.
- PIPP and PIPP-R scores were compared in extremely low gestational age infants during painful and non-painful events.
- The effectiveness of sucrose, sucrose with non-nutritive sucking (NNS), and facilitated tucking with NNS and sucrose during heel lance was assessed using PIPP-R.
- A survey of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurses was conducted to establish feasibility.
Main Results:
- PIPP-R scores were significantly lower during non-painful events compared to painful events in extremely low gestational age infants.
- PIPP-R scores were significantly lower in infants receiving NNS with sucrose compared to other interventions during heel lance.
- NICU nurses rated the PIPP-R as feasible to implement.
Conclusions:
- The PIPP-R demonstrates initial construct validation and feasibility.
- Further research is recommended to test the PIPP-R in infants with varying gestational ages, diagnoses, and pain conditions.
- Exploration of the PIPP-R in relation to other physiological and cognitive responses is warranted.
