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PROTOCOL ON PAINRELIEF IN PRETERM AND NEWBORN BABIES

Purpose

Optimize wellbeing and secure unnecessary pain by presumed painfull procedures.
Reducing stress.

Responsibility

Ideally: Let parents comfort their baby during painful procedures.
Nurses and doctors are responsible for the baby not being unnecessarily exposed to pain. Sucrose 25%/Dextrose 10% can be given without prescription.

Indications

  • Blood samplings
  • Inserting of canula
  • Suctioning from ETT, nostril and throat
  • Inserting of a feedingtube OG/NG
  • Other painfull procedures

PAIN RECEPTORS ARE FULLY DEVELOPED IN ALL PRETERM AND NEWBORN BABIES.

Equipments

  • 25% Sucrose(0,05 – 0,5 ml)/ 10% Dextrose
  • cottonswab/ infants own hand or finger
  • a small syringe

Procedure

  1. Ensure that the baby is awake to suck and swallow the sucrose/dextrose.
  2. The baby should be fully satiesfied and be well positioned with support around the body before the procedure starts.
  3. Give the baby a proper amount of sucrose/dextrose. The taste receptors are located in the anterior part of the tongue. Offer a cottonswab or the baby’s hand to suck on.
  4. Wait for 2 minutes before painful procedure starts.
  5. The pain releasing effect will decrease after 5 minutes.
  6. Support the baby with your hands during the whole procedure.
  7. OBSERVE during the procedure especially according to the pain relieving effect.
    • allergic reactions
  8. Make sure the baby is calm before you leave, after the procedure.

Complications

  • There is a risk of aspirating if the baby is not awake and is not sucking/swallowing.
  • PRECAUTION: In intubated babies, VLBW or extremely preterm babies.
  • Small preterm babies not being can have a small droplets on a cottonswab

References

Campbell-Yeo (2011) Procedual Pain management for Neonates Using Nonpharmacological Strategies.

Document Information

Archived Version

Version: 1.0 (Archived)
Published: August 3, 2015
Contributors: Teaching Nurses from Norway and FBNCU Nursing Staff, JK Lone Hospital, SMS Medical College, Jaipur
View: Current Version