Pain assessment practice in a neonatal intensive care unit: a cross-sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19175/recom.v13i0.4772Keywords:
Equipe de enfermagem, Dor, Medição da dor, Recém-nascido, Unidades de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal.Abstract
Objective: To analyze the practice of nursing professionals regarding pain assessment in newborns hospitalized in a neonatal care unit. Method: This cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted with nursing professionals from March to May 2018. A selfadministered questionnaire was applied. The association of categorical variables with professional practice was analyzed considering both the chi-squared and Fisher’s exact tests, at a 0.05 significance level. Results: In total, 35 nursing professionals participated in the study. Factors such as time working in the unit, length of professional experience and satisfaction with working conditions statistically showed influence on appropriate practice. We found that 17,1% of professionals reported using scales to assess pain in newborns. Conclusion: Professional nursing practices still lack the required assessment of neonatal pain. This study recommends interventions in work practice in accordance with institutional guidelines and managers, as well as continuous evaluation of its results.
