Relationship between neonatal characteristics, painful procedures and pain management in newborns.

Relación entre las características de los recién nacidos sometidos a procedimientos dolorosos no-quirúrgicos y el manejo del dolor en una unidad de cuidado neonatal de Manizales, Colombia.

Introduction: The development of new technologies for early diagnosis and treatments has allowed, in recent decades, an increase in the survival of newborns, especially the premature. However, the requirement for recurrent invasive examinations and procedures that generate pain is also increasing. Despite the evidence of the implications of pain on the development of the newborn and in the subsequent phases of life, strategies aimed at pain control are not sufficient and the variability in its management remains significant.

Objectives: To evaluate pain management in neonates undergoing minor procedures in a neonatal care unit.

Methods: Retrospective study with an analytical purpose.

Results: An average of 13.6 painful procedures for each newborn, in addition to extensive use of glucometry even outside the highest risk groups, without any type of analgesia, like majority of subjects subjected to punctures. vascular and vaccination. Procedures such as PICC, lumbar punctures, and bladder catheterizations showed uneven application of analgesia, with only 21% of PICC and 15% of lumbar punctures receiving adequate analgesia, while bladder catheterizations received better management at 60%. of analgesic coverage.The most used form of analgesia is non-pharmacological, for most procedures.

Conclusions: This study concludes that there is an urgent need to standardize and improve pain management practices in neonates, to ensure more consistent and evidence-based care.