JOURACA_SP_2017

Anxiety and Uncertainty During
Breastfeeding for Pre-Term Mothers
Brandy Mann
In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, pain
scales are used to measure the pain a neonate
experiences and indicate the need for
reassessment to determine if main is lessened
with intervention. The purpose of this
IRB-approved study was to compare two
scales for effectiveness and ease of use by
Neonatal ICU nurses. Scales were a modified
CRIES Scale—Crying, Requires O2,
Increased Vital Signs, Expression, and
Sleeplessness—and the NPASS—Neonatal
Pain Agitation and Sedation Scale. During
the pilot, nurses were given a bedside form
to assess the pain level using both scales in
the neonates at 4 hour increments. One cohort
measured pain in stable neonates, a second
cohort measured pain in higher acuity
neonates. The nurses were then given a
questionnaire to determine their perspectives
and opinions of the scales. All of the
nurses stated that they viewed the scales as
important and necessary. When asked which
scale they preferred, majority of nurses
chose the NPASS. However, every neonate
that was assessed scored a 0 on all measures
of the scales, leading the researchers to
question whether they were sensitive
enough to detect subtle changes or whether
the nurses were using them correctly. Currently,
a survey is being developed for all of
the nurses to determine their understanding
and use of the scales correctly. Implications
are for more specific education for NICU
staff prior to implementing a new scale.
Department of Nursing
Nursing
Mentor: Dr. Ellen Buckner
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