Background: One of the key elements of patient care is the relief and prevention of pain sensations. The importance of pain prevention and treatment has been emphasized by many international organizations. Despite the recommendations and guidelines based on evidence, contemporary research shows that the problem of pain among patients in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in various centers is still an important and neglected problem. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge of the medical personnel and their perception of the issue of pain in neonatal patients. Methods: A quantitative descriptive study carried out in 2019. The study used a nurses’ perceptions of neonatal pain questionnaire. Results: A total of 43 Polish hospitals and 558 respondents participated in the project. 60.9% (n = 340) and 39.1% (n = 218) of respondents were employed in secondary and tertiary referral departments, respectively. Conclusion: Our analyses indicate that despite the availability of pain assessment tools for neonatal patients, only a few centers use standardized tools. The introduction of strategies to promote and extend the personnel’s awareness of neonatal pain monitoring scales is necessary.

Introduction: Recently, interest in the problem of proper prevention and monitoring of pain, especially acute, has been increasing in relation to various age groups. Greater awareness of the problem prompts discussion about the purpose of analgesia in newborns treated with mechanical ventilation. Aim: The purpose of the systematic review was to analyze current research on the use of pain scales in newborns treated with mechanical ventilation in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Methods: Medline databases: PubMed, OVID, EBSCO, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were traced using the appropriate keywords. The search was limited to studies in English. The review took into account the years 2006-2019. Considering the criteria, 12 articles were included in further analysis, to which full access was obtained. Results: The analyzed scientific research showed differences in beliefs about the validity and credibility of the scales used. Researchers indicated that staff with practical experience in using scales in their daily practice was very skeptical of the results obtained on their basis. Conclusion: Based on this review, no explicit evidence can be obtained to support the use of one proper scale in pain assessment. It can be inferred that the COMFORT and N-PASS scales are effective for pain assessment and for determining the need for analgesics in mechanically ventilated neonates. These scales may be equally effective in assessing chronic pain, especially in mechanically ventilated children. On the other hand, the PIPP and CRIES scales are most commonly recommended for assessing acute and postoperative pain.

Healing pain as well as preventing it is an indisputable right of every human being. Activities connected with/ related to medical care in the neonatal intensive care unit may be the source of pain. The aim of the study was to characterize the problem of pain in terms of patients of neonatal intensive care units. The work describes not only the perception of neonatal pain but also preventing and therapeutic actions, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies. The last one can be used widely in the daily work of nursing/midwifery staff with neonatal intensive care unit (OITN) patients and their care providers. The study analyzed national and foreign literature on pain therapy in cases of patients of neonatal intensive care units. The available bibliographic databases include Medline, Scopus, PubMed and Google Scholar. The following keywords were used as search criteria: “pain”, “newborn baby”, “neonatal intensive care unit “‘nurse”, “midwives”.

Background: Due to the progress in neonatology, in particular, in the past three decades, the mortality rate among patients of intensive care units has decreased. However, this is connected not only with newborns needing to stay longer in the unit, but also with the exposure of newborns to many painful procedures and stresses. Lack of or insufficient pain prevention has a negative impact on the sensory or locomotor development of newborns. Despite the presence of guidelines based on scientific evidence, the use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain-management methods in newborns is still insufficient. Aim: The aim of the study was to: identify the knowledge nurses/midwives have of recommended non-pharmacological and/or pharmacological methods, in particular, in relation to medical intervention procedures; assess the interventions for pain relief applied by midwives/nurses most often in their clinical practice; examine the role of age, general work experience, education level and years of work of medical professionals on a neonatal ward, as well as the referral level of a unit, versus the application of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods. Methods: A descriptive and quantitative study conducted in 2019 among Polish nurses/midwives working at neonatal intensive care units. Results: The analysis of the material reflected the deficit of knowledge and the insufficient daily use of recommended pain-relief measures among the respondents. Conclusions: The interpretation of data indicates that despite the clear and easily available recommendations of scientific societies concerning the mode of conduct in particular medical procedures, medical personnel do not apply those recommendations in their everyday practice. It is necessary to plan and implement education strategies for nurses/midwives on standard pain-management interventions during painful medical procedures.