Pain assessment and management in the newborn: A systematized review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Neonatal pain has been underdiagnosed due to several false beliefs. AIM: To determine the status of neonatal pain in newborns who are admitted to intensive care units. METHODS: Different databases were searched. Literature reviews and research reports conducted in newborns that were written in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, published between 2010 and 2020, and having free access to the full text were selected. A total of 135 articles were found, and 18 articles were finally reviewed. RESULTS: Newborns are exposed to numerous painful procedures. In order to assess their pain levels, several scales have been used, although they are sometimes not correctly interpreted. In terms of pain management, the nursing team plays a very important role based mainly on both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. CONCLUSION: Nursing staff members must be well trained in order to identify pain and to interpret the scales correctly. Besides, they have an important role in performing non-pharmacological procedures for pain management.