An exploration of nurses' knowledge of, and attitudes towards, pain recognition and management in neonates

The frontiers of fetal viability are constantly being extended leading to the survival of smaller and more premature neonates. Ironically it is also these most vulnerable neonates that are subjected to numerous invasive procedures and therapies necessary for their survival. Although much progress has been made in the field of neonatal pain management these infants continue to be exposed to repeated painful stimuli. Pain assessment and management is dependent on the nurses' ability to identify pain cues. However, a review of the literature suggests that some nurses experience difficulties in recognizing pain indicators. In addition, some nurses do not always demonstrate an awareness of current pain research findings. The majority of the studies described pertain to children rather than neonates per se. Further research is required in this area to discover pain cues used by neonatal nurses when assessing pain and what attitudes and knowledge these nurses' possess towards pain management in this vulnerable group. In addition practicing nurses need to integrate research findings into daily practice. Organizations need to develop supportive mechanisms for research based practice and provide in-service education to meet the knowledge deficits in this area.