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Breaking
News
Managing
Procedural Pain
by
Marlene Walden, PhD
Newborn
infants, particularly those born preterm, are routinely
subjected to an estimated average of 61 invasive procedures performed
from admission to discharge, with some of the youngest or sickest
infants experiencing more than 450 painful procedures during their
hospital stay. These frequent, invasive, and noxious procedures
occur randomly in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and
many times are not routinely managed with either pharmacologic
or nonpharmacologic interventions. The International Evidenced-Based
Group for Neonatal Pain provides guidelines for preventing and
treating neonatal procedural pain. Experts from several countries,
professional disciplines, and practice settings developed the
guidelines using systematic reviews, data synthesis, and open
discussion to develop a consensus on best clinical practice. Suggested
strategies for the management of diagnostic, therapeutic, and
surgical procedures commonly performed in the NICU are summarized
in the the Table,
Suggested management of procedural pain in neonates at Baylor
College of Medicine (Adapted from International Evidence-Based
Group for Neonatal Pain, 2001).
References
- Anand KJS, International Evidence-Based Group for Neonatal
Pain. Consensus statement for the prevention and management
of pain in the newborn. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2001;155:173.
- Anand KJS, Selanikio JD, SOPAIN Study Group. Routine analgesic
practices in 109 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Pediatric
Research 1996;39(4 Pt 2):192A.
- Barker DP, Rutter N. Exposure to invasive procedures in
newborn intensive care unit admissions. Arch Dis Child Fetal
Neonatal Ed 1995;72:F47.
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