Methods of Pain Management in Neonatal Intensive Care Units : A Literature Review

Abstract

Neonatal pain management is a crucial component of care in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), as neonates—particularly preterm infants—are highly sensitive to pain due to the immaturity of their nervous systems. Effective pain assessment and management are essential to prevent both immediate and long-term adverse outcomes. The purpose of this thesis was to describe neonatal pain management in NICUs and to identify the most effective pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions used by nurses.

A narrative literature review was conducted using the PubMed and CINAHL databases. The search strategy was guided by the PICo framework, and ten peer-reviewed articles published between 2017 and 2023 were included. Inductive content analysis was used to analyze the data.

The findings indicate that neonatal pain management commonly involves a combination of pharmacological interventions, such as acetaminophen, morphine, and fentanyl, and non-pharmacological methods, including sucrose administration, non-nutritive sucking, skin-to-skin contact, and swaddling. A multimodal approach is recommended to optimize pain relief and neonatal well-being.

Keywords: neonate, neonatal intensive care unit, pain management, pharmacological interventions, non-pharmacological interventions