[Pain management and nursing assessment of preterm and term neonates]

Abstract

Preterm and term neonates often suffer pain from procedures during their hospitalization. Due to the lack of verbal abilities of preterm and term neonates to express the pain experience, physiological and behavioral manifestations can reflect their pain levels. Clinical nursing staff usually assesses neonates' pain based on nurses' own experience and rarely use standard procedures of pain management. The purpose of this paper is to summarize current pain assessment tools developed for neonates and various pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical pain interventions. Nursing staff should have sufficient knowledge and a positive attitude towards neonates' pain management in order to reduce short-term and long-term negative influences on neonates.