STRATEGIES FOR PAIN CONTROL IN PREMATURE NEONATES IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Abstract

Premature neonates often require targeted and continuous care, and are therefore admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where they undergo painful and uncomfortable procedures, such as vaccine administration, intravenous access placement, blood collection, among other essential procedures. A search was conducted for studies related to the topic in the PubMed and BVS platforms, resulting in an initial total of 1,759 full-text articles. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 studies were selected. The analysis of the studies revealed that the continuous and early exposure of neonates to pain may have potential consequences for their neurobehavioral development. In this context, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological alternatives are essential for better pain control in neonatal intensive care units, such as multisensory stimuli and the administration of oral solutions. In conclusion, it is recommended that pain management strategies in neonatal intensive care units integrate a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods in healthcare services, promoting relief from procedural pain to which the neonates are subjected, thus preventing potential future adverse effects.