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Pain management in Swedish neonatal units – a national survey
Author(s) -
Eriksson Mats,
Gradin Maria
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.00826.x
Subject(s) - medicine , concordance , psychological intervention , dosing , pain management , pediatrics , family medicine , physical therapy , psychiatry , pharmacology
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the degree to which Swedish neonatal units have adopted the national guidelines for prevention and treatment of pain in newborn infants. Method: A survey was sent to all units in Sweden that provide neonatal care. For a list of potentially painful procedures, compiled from the national neonatal pain guidelines, the units were asked if they would use pharmacological and/or behavioural interventions, and in each case to specify the treatment. Results: The response rate was 80.4%. Eighty‐eight percent of the units had written guidelines for pain management, and 59% of these had been updated within the last 2 years. For almost every presented case, all units reported that they used either pharmacological or behavioural treatment or both. The survey showed a wide variation in morphine and paracetamol dosing and the absence of a paracetamol loading dose in a fourth of the units. Conclusions: This study suggests that a majority of Swedish neonatal units have adopted pain management guidelines in concordance with the Swedish national guidelines, and kept them up‐to‐date. For most painful situations a variety of behavioural and pharmacological interventions are used, often in combination.