The measurement properties of pediatric observational pain scales: A systematic review of reviews

Measurement properties and feasibility of chronic pain assessment tools for use with children and young people with cerebral palsy

PURPOSE

Chronic pain assessment tools exist for children, but may not be valid, reliable, and feasible for populations with functional, cognitive or communication limitations, for example, cerebral palsy (CP). This study aimed to (i) identify chronic pain assessment tools used with children and young people and rate their measurement properties; (ii) develop a CP specific feasibility rating tool to assess the feasibility of tools in CP; and (iii) categorise tools according to reporting method.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Assessment tools were identified by literature review. Their measurement properties were rated using the COnsensus based standards for the Selection of health Measurement INstruments. The CP specific Feasibility Rating Tool was developed and used to rate the tools.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven chronic pain assessment tools were identified. Six have content validity for CP, four of these use proxy-report. Forty-two tools were considered feasible for people with CP; 24 self report and 18 observational/proxy-report. Only the Paediatric Pain Profile has content validity and feasibility for people with CP unable to self-report.

CONCLUSIONS

There are few valid, reliable and feasible tools to assess chronic pain in CP. Further research is required to modify tools to enable people with cognitive limitations and/or complex communication to self-report pain.

Performance Evaluation of a Supervised Machine Learning Pain Classification Model Developed by Neonatal Nurses

BACKGROUND

Early-life pain is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental consequences; and current pain assessment practices are discontinuous, inconsistent, and highly dependent on nurses' availability. Furthermore, facial expressions in commonly used pain assessment tools are not associated with brain-based evidence of pain.

PURPOSE

To develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model to classify pain.

METHODS

In this retrospective validation study, using a human-centered design for Embedded Machine Learning Solutions approach and the Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS), 6 experienced neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses labeled data from randomly assigned iCOPEvid (infant Classification Of Pain Expression video) sequences of 49 neonates undergoing heel lance. NFCS is the only observational pain assessment tool associated with brain-based evidence of pain. A standard 70% training and 30% testing split of the data was used to train and test several ML models. NICU nurses' interrater reliability was evaluated, and NICU nurses' area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was compared with the ML models' AUC.

RESULTS

Nurses weighted mean interrater reliability was 68% (63%-79%) for NFCS tasks, 77.7% (74%-83%) for pain intensity, and 48.6% (15%-59%) for frame and 78.4% (64%-100%) for video pain classification, with AUC of 0.68. The best performing ML model had 97.7% precision, 98% accuracy, 98.5% recall, and AUC of 0.98.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH

The pain classification ML model AUC far exceeded that of NICU nurses for identifying neonatal pain. These findings will inform the development of a continuous, unbiased, brain-based, nurse-in-the-loop Pain Recognition Automated Monitoring System (PRAMS) for neonates and infants.

"Their Bodies Just Give It Away": A Qualitative Study of Pain Assessment in the Context of Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Therapy

BACKGROUND

Children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are vulnerable to pain.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine how healthcare providers and parents assessed pain and what contextual factors influenced their pain assessment practices for children hospitalized after allogeneic HSCT therapy.

METHODS

A qualitative case study was conducted in a tertiary level pediatric HSCT unit in 2 phases. Semistructured interviews with parents were conducted at 30 and 90 days after HSCT therapy. Healthcare providers participated in naturalistic observations of pain-related care provided to children during their hospitalization for HSCT therapy and a semistructured interview.

RESULTS

The assessment of pain after transplantation by healthcare providers and parents was predominantly reliant on the observation of children for behaviors indicative of pain, rather than the application of validated pain assessment tools. Without formal measures of the pain experience, judgments regarding the severity of children's pain were influenced by the context of high acuity of care posttransplantation and the emotional responses of healthcare providers and parents from bearing witness to children's pain.

CONCLUSION

Pain assessments mostly reflected children's ability to tolerate pain, rather than a genuine measurement of how significantly pain impacted the child.

IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE

This study has emphasized how the assessment of pain for children hospitalized during HSCT therapy is limited by the complexity of the clinical environment. It is recommended that validated methods of assessing pain by healthcare providers and parents be implemented into clinical practice to ensure children's pain is visible.

Commentary: Pediatric Pain Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation

PEDIATRIC PAIN MEASUREMENT, ASSESSMENT, AND EVALUATION

Renee C.B. Manworren, Jennifer Stinson Seminars in Pediatric Neurology Volume 23, Issue 3, August 2016, Pages 189-200 Assessment provides the foundation for diagnosis, selection of treatments, and evaluation of treatment effectiveness for pediatric patients with acute, recurrent, and chronic pain. Extensive research has resulted in the availability of a number of valid, reliable, and recommended tools for assessing children's pain. Yet, evidence suggests children's pain is still not optimally measured or treated. In this article, we provide an overview of pain evaluation for premature neonates to adolescents. The difference between pain assessment and measurement is highlighted; and the key steps to follow are identified. Information about self report and behavioral pain assessment tools appropriate for children are provided; and fac tors to be considered when choosing a specific 1 are outlined. Finally, we preview future approaches to personalized pain medicine in pediatrics that include harnessing the use of potential digital health technologies and genomics.

Chronic pain interference assessment tools for children and adults who are unable to self-report: A systematic review of psychometric properties

AIM

To identify and evaluate psychometric properties of assessment tools for assessing pain interference in children, adolescents, and adults with chronic pain and the inability to self-report.

METHOD

The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022310102). A search was run in MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycInfo (29th March 2022) to identify articles reporting psychometric properties of pain interference assessment tools for children, adolescents, and adults with chronic pain and the inability to objectively self-report pain. Retrieved studies were reviewed by two authors (MGS, LCF) and study quality was assessed using COSMIN.

RESULTS

Psychometric properties of 10 pain interference tools were assessed from 33 studies. The Paediatric Pain Profile (PPP) had low-quality evidence for content validity and internal consistency with children and adolescents who are unable to self-report. No tools for adults had evidence for content validity and internal consistency. No tool had evidence for all nine psychometric properties.

INTERPRETATION

The PPP is recommended for pain interference assessment in children and adolescents with chronic pain and the inability to self-report. Few tools are available for adults. Three tools for children (Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Pediatric Proxy Pain Interference Scale; Bath Adolescent Pain Questionnaire for Parents; modified Brief Pain Inventory-Proxy [mBPI]) and three tools for adults (Doloplus-2; Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Pain Interference Scale-proxy; Brief Pain Inventory-proxy) are promising but require further investigation.

Pain assessment tools for use in infants: a meta-review

BACKGROUND

Identifying pain in infants is challenging due to their inability to self-report pain, therefore the availability of valid and reliable means of assessing pain is critical.

OBJECTIVE

This meta-review sought to identify evidence that could guide the selection of appropriate tools in this vulnerable population.

METHODS

We searched Scopus, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, MIDRIS, EMCare and Google Scholar for eligible systematic reviews. Eligible reviews documented psychometric properties of available observational tools used to assess pain in infants.

RESULTS

A total of 516 reviews were identified of which 11 met our inclusion criteria. We identified 36 pain assessment tools (evaluated in 11 reviews) of which seven were reported in at least three reviews. The level of evidence reported on the psychometric properties of pain assessment tools varied widely ranging from low to good reliability and validity, whilst there are limited data on usability and clinical utility.

CONCLUSIONS

Currently, no observer administered pain assessment tool can be recommended as the gold standard due to limited availability and quality of the evidence that supports their validity, reliability and clinical utility. This meta-review attempts to collate the available evidence to assist clinicians to decide on what is the most appropriate tool to use in their clinical practice setting. It is important that researchers adopt a standard approach to evaluating the psychometric properties of pain assessment tools and evaluations of the clinical utility in order that the highest level of evidence can be used to guide tool selection.

Chronic pain in children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer: the challenge of mitigating the pain and the potential of integrating exercise into pain management

BACKGROUND

Pain is one of the most common and distressing symptoms experienced by children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer. It is vital that children and adolescents receive adequate pain management early on in their cancer treatments to mitigate pain and cancer-related symptoms. Exercise training shows particular promise in the management of acute and chronic pain among children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer.

METHODS

This position paper comes to outline the challenge of mitigating pain in children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer, and the potential benefits of integrating exercise training to the management of chronic pain in this population in need.

RESULTS

Integrating exercise training into the care and pain management of children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer who have chronic pain would have the advantage of addressing several shortcomings of pain medication. Pain medication aims to temporarily manage or reduce pain; it does not have the potential to directly improve a patient's physical condition in the way that exercise training can. The current paucity of data available on the use of exercise training as a complementary treatment to pain medications to reduce chronic pain in children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer allows only for hypotheses on the effectiveness of this pain management modality.

CONCLUSION

More research on this important topic is necessary and mitigating pain effectively while also reducing the use of opioid pain medication is an important goal shared by patients, their families, clinicians, and researchers alike. Future research in this area has great potential to inform clinical care, clinical care guidelines, and policy-making decisions for pain management in children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer who experience chronic pain.

The Effect of Virtual Reality and Buzzy on First Insertion Success, Procedure-Related Fear, Anxiety, and Pain in Children during Intravenous Insertion in the Pediatric Emergency Unit: A Randomized Controlled Trial

INTRODUCTION

Distraction methods such as virtual reality and cold vibration device are recommended during intravenous interventions. Few studies have focused on the impact of nonpharmacological interventions on intravenous insertion success.

METHODS

A randomized controlled study evaluated effect of virtual reality and cold vibration device application on first-attempt intravenous insertion success and procedure-related pain, fear, and anxiety during intravenous insertion in children. Children aged 4 to 10 years (N = 150) undergoing peripheral intravenous catheterization insertion in the pediatric emergency department were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: virtual reality, cold vibration (Buzzy), and control group. Distraction technique of talking and asking questions of children was used in control group. Primary outcome was first-attempt intravenous insertion success; secondary outcomes were procedure-related pain, fear, and anxiety. Study data were collected using Difficult Intravenous Access score, Emotional Appearance Scale for Children, Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale, Color Analog Scale, Children's Anxiety Meter-State, and Child Fear Scale. Data were analyzed using chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in first-attempt intravenous insertion success rates (virtual reality = 47.2%, Buzzy® = 50%, control = 46.9%), preprocedural emotional appearance scores, and procedure-related pain and anxiety scores. There was no difference between groups for vital signs before, during, and at fifth minute of procedure.

DISCUSSION

Virtual reality and Buzzy may decrease procedure-related fear in children during intravenous insertion. This research has shown that pediatric emergency nurses can reduce pain and anxiety by talking to children, and simple distractions such as asking questions are as effective as more technological ones.

A Systematic Review of the Measurement Properties of Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability Scale for Pediatric Pain Assessment

Purpose

We performed this systematic review to summarize the psychometric properties of Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) scale in pediatric patients in different settings.

Methods

Two investigators independently searched PubMed, EMBASE, OVID and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for eligible studies through July 2021. We assessed the psychometric properties using the modified critical appraisal tool (CAT). Finally, we systematically reviewed the results of the included studies.

Results

A total of 15 studies were eventually included. The overall quality of each eligible study was low to moderate. The FLACC scale has been available in different versions and in different settings. Although eligible studies have demonstrated significant clinical benefit in assessing postoperative pain in pediatric patients aged 0 to 10 years from post-anesthetic care unit (PACU), pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and inpatient unit, and in assessing procedural pain in pediatric patients aged 0.5 to 7 years from emergency unit, immunization center and PICU, mostly without test-retest analysis.

Conclusion

Although the absence of a gold standard of pain assessment, the currently available data support the usefulness of the FLACC from the perspective of criterion validity. Therefore, the FLACC scale can be considered for measuring observational pain in infants and children. However, further studies are still needed to provide more robust evidence.

Evaluating the agreement between children and their parents on dental pain in children using the self-reported method

BACKGROUND

Having preschool children evaluate their dental pain can provide an additional insight into pain diagnoses and improve patient-centered care. This study aimed to evaluate the agreement between self-reported dental pain by preschoolers and their parents' report (proxy measure).

DESIGN

This cross-sectional study was conducted with children aged 4 to 6 years, and with one of their parents. Dental pain was reported using the Simplified Faces Pain Scale (S-FPS) and administered before the dental consultation. Dental pain was assessed using closed-ended questions, and a three-face scale was used to determine pain severity. The kappa and weighted kappa tests were used to evaluate the agreement between the children's self-report and their parents' report.

RESULTS

A total of 198 child-parent dyads participated. Current child dental pain was reported by 44.4% of the children and 36.9% of the parents. Severe pain was reported most frequently between children (17.1%) and parents (16.2%). The agreement on the severity of dental pain ranged from substantial (children aged 6 years and parents: weighted kappa = 0.372) to moderate (4-year-olds: 0.412; 5-year-olds: 0.453).

CONCLUSION

Children and parents agreed on the child's dental pain. The use of the S-FPS among younger children appears valid and feasible for assessing dental pain.

Development and validation of a new method for visual acuity assesment on tablet in pediatric population: eMOVA test

BACKGROUND

Amblyopia is a major public health concern. Its screening and management require reliable methods of visual acuity assessment. New technologies offer nowadays many tests available on different app stores for smartphone or tablet but most of them often lack of scientific validation for a medical use. The aim of our study was to attempt validating a tablet-based near visual acuity test adapted to the pediatric population: the eMOVA test (electronic Measurement Of Visual Acuity) by comparing visual acuity measured with more conventional test.

METHODS

A cohort of 100 children aged 3 to 8 attending the ophthalmic-pediatric for eye examination between September 2016 and June 2017 were included in the study. Near visual acuity was assessed on participants using both the eMOVA test and a Standard test (Rossano-Weiss test). Duration of each test, its comprehension, its acceptability and the attention of the child during the test was also investigated.

RESULTS

The eMOVA test overestimated near visual acuity by 0.06 logMAR. This difference, statistically significant, was not clinically relevant. The duration of the eMOVA test was longer than the reference test, but less discomfort and preferred by children and their parents compared to standard tests.

CONCLUSION

The eMOVA test appears as a reliable test to assess near visual acuity in children. By its portability and efficiency, this application proved to be a relevant tool to be used for children eye examination in daily routine at the hospital.

Agreement of the Neonatal Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Scale (N-PASS) With NICU Nurses' Assessments

BACKGROUND

Objective assessment tools should standardize and reflect nurses' expert assessments. The Neonatal Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Scale (N-PASS) and the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) are valid measures of pain. The N-PASS also provides a sedation subscale.

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to determine N-PASS clinical validity and utility by evaluating agreement of N-PASS scores with bedside nurses' assessments of pain/agitation and sedation in a 64-bed tertiary neonatal intensive care unit.

METHODS

Fifteen bedside nurses trained to use the N-PASS and the NIPS prospectively completed 202 pain/agitation and sedation assessments from a convenience sample of 88 infants, including chronically ventilated, medically fragile infants. N-PASS and NIPS scores were obtained simultaneously but independently of nurse investigators. Bedside nurses also made recommendations about infants' pain and sedation management.

RESULTS

There was moderate agreement between N-PASS pain scores and nurses' recommendations (κ= 0.52), very strong agreement between N-PASS sedation scores and nurses' recommendations (κ= 0.99), and very strong associations between N-PASS pain and NIPS scores (P< .001). Bedside nurse and independent investigator interrater reliability was good for N-PASS pain and NIPS scores (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.83, ICC = 0.85) and excellent for N-PASS sedation (ICC = 0.94). During 93% of assessments, bedside nurses reported that the N-PASS reflected the level of infant sedation well or very well.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH

The N-PASS provides an easy-to-use, valid, and reliable objective measure of pain and sedation that reflects nurses' assessments. Additional studies using the N-PASS are needed to verify results and the influence of the N-PASS on pain and sedation management for medically fragile infants with chronic medical conditions.

Pain assessment tools in paediatric palliative care: A systematic review of psychometric properties and recommendations for clinical practice

BACKGROUND

Assessing pain in infants, children and young people with life-limiting conditions remains a challenge due to diverse patient conditions, types of pain and often a reduced ability or inability of patients to communicate verbally.

AIM

To systematically identify pain assessment tools that are currently used in paediatric palliative care and examine their psychometric properties and feasibility and make recommendations for clinical practice.

DESIGN

A systematic literature review and evaluation of psychometric properties of pain assessment tools of original peer-reviewed research published from inception of data sources to April 2021.

DATA SOURCES

PsycINFO via ProQuest, Web of Science Core, Medline via Ovid, EMBASE, BIOSIS and CINAHL were searched from inception to April 2021. Hand searches of reference lists of included studies and relevant reviews were performed.

RESULTS

From 1168 articles identified, 201 papers were selected for full-text assessment. Thirty-four articles met the eligibility criteria and we examined the psychometric properties of 22 pain assessment tools. Overall, the Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R) had high cross-cultural validity, construct validity (hypothesis testing) and responsiveness; while the Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) scale and Paediatric Pain Profile (PPP) had high internal consistency, criterion validity, reliability and responsiveness. The number of studies per psychometric property of each pain assessment tool was limited and the methodological quality of included studies was low.

CONCLUSION

Balancing aspects of feasibility and psychometric properties, the FPS-R is recommended for self-assessment, and the FLACC scale/FLACC Revised and PPP are the recommended observational tools in their respective age groups.

Pain Assessment in Pediatric Emergency Departments: A National Survey

OBJECTIVE

Accurate and consistent assessment of pain is essential in the pediatric emergency setting. Despite recommendations for formal assessment protocols, current data are lacking on pain assessment in pediatric emergency departments (EDs) and, specifically, whether appropriate tools are being used for different age groups. Our aim was to determine the status of pain assessment in US pediatric EDs.

METHODS

We disseminated an online cross-sectional survey (after piloting) to pediatric EDs within the Children's Hospital Association. Responses were analyzed for each question owing to incomplete responders. We report descriptive statistics, with categorical variables compared with χ2 (P < 0.05 considered statistically significant).

RESULTS

From 120 pediatric EDs, we received 57 responses (48%). Most respondents (28/49, 57%) were from freestanding pediatric centers. All 57 EDs (100%) performed formal pain assessments, with 31 (63%) of 49 using an ED-specific protocol. Freestanding children's hospitals were more likely to have ED-specific protocols (21/31, 68%) than nonfreestanding (10/31, 32%) (P = 0.04). Among 56 responders, 100% stated that nurses are tasked with assessing pain. For children 0 to 2 years, 29 (54%) of 54 used the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability scale. Numerical scales were increasingly used with older ages: 3 to 4 years, 40 (80%) of 50; 5 to 10 years, 49 (98%) of 50; and 11 to 21 years, 50 (100%) of 50.

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to prior research, US pediatric EDs are routinely assessing pain with scales that are mostly appropriate for their respective age groups. Further research is needed to explore barriers to implementing appropriate pain ratings for all children and, ultimately, how these assessments impact the care of children in the emergency setting.

A Comparison of Local Anesthetics for Intravenous Catheter Insertion in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: A Randomized Clinical Pilot Trial

Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion is one of the most painful procedures pediatric patients undergo during hospitalization. To date, local anesthetics delivered via cream, patch, and needle-free injection have not been rigorously evaluated together. This study aimed to investigate feasibility and potential efficacy of local anesthetics on pain intensity during PIVC insertion in an unblinded, single-center, randomized clinical pilot trial. Between March 2017 and February 2020, 88 hospitalized children aged 12 months to 18 years in an acute pediatric unit at an academic medical center were randomized to 1 of 3 local anesthetics: 1) lidocaine/prilocaine cream, 2) lidocaine/tetracaine patch, and 3) unbuffered lidocaine needle-free injection. Feasibility outcomes were recruitment and protocol adherence. Pain intensity was measured using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (age <8 years) and Verbal Numeric Rating (VNRS) scales (age ≥8 years) before, during, and after procedure. Secondary outcomes included catheterization attempts, procedure time, and parent satisfaction. Recruitment rate was acceptable (2.7 patients per month). Protocol adherence was high (92%). Preliminary clinical findings showed no significant difference in pain intensity across treatments. Procedure time to successful insertion differed in the VNRS group, favoring unbuffered lidocaine needle-free injection. Conduct of a definitive, full-scale randomized clinical trial in the hospitalized pediatric population is feasible.

[Challenges in pain assessment and management among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities : German version]

INTRODUCTION

Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) include conditions associated with physical, learning, language, behavioural, and/or intellectual impairment. Pain is a common and debilitating secondary condition compromising functional abilities and quality of life.

OBJECTIVES

This article addresses scientific and clinical challenges in pain assessment and management in individuals with severe IDD.

METHODS

This Clinical Update aligns with the 2019 IASP Global Year Against Pain in the Vulnerable and selectively reviews recurring issues as well as the best available evidence and practice.

RESULTS

The past decade of pain research has involved the development of standardized assessment tools appropriate for individuals with severe IDD; however, there is little empirical evidence that pain is being better assessed or managed clinically. There is limited evidence available to inform effective pain management practices; therefore, treatment approaches are largely empiric and highly variable. This is problematic because individuals with IDD are at risk of developing drug-related side effects, and treatment approaches effective for other populations may exacerbate pain in IDD populations. Scientifically, we are especially challenged by biases in self-reported and proxy-reported pain scores, identifying valid outcome measures for treatment trials, being able to adequately power studies due to small sample sizes, and our inability to easily explore the underlying pain mechanisms due to compromised ability to self-report.

CONCLUSION

Despite the critical challenges, new developments in research and knowledge translation activities in pain and IDD continue to emerge, and there are ongoing international collaborations.

The Psychometric Properties of the Visual Analogue Scale Applied by an Observer to Assess Procedural Pain in Infants and Young Children: An Observational Study

PURPOSE

The Visual Analogue Scale applied by an observer (VASobs) is widely used to quantify pain but the evidence to support validity is poor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric and practical properties of the VASobs used to assess procedural pain in infants and young children.

DESIGN AND METHODS

In an observational study, 26 clinicians applied the VASobs independently to video segments of 100 children aged six to 42 months undergoing a procedure to generate pain and distress scores. Each video segment was scored by four randomly selected reviewers.

RESULTS

Reliability for pain scores was poor to fair (ICC 0.35 to 0.55) but higher for distress scores (ICC 0.6 to 0.89). At a cut-off score of 3, sensitivity and specificity were 84.7% and 95.0%, respectively for pain and 91.5% and 77.5% respectively for distress. Linear mixed modelling confirmed responsiveness. An increase in pain scores (regression slope 4.95) and distress scores (regression slope 5.52) across phases (baseline to procedure) was seen for painful procedures. The correlation between VASobs pain and FLACC scores was good (r = 0.74) and correlations between VASobs distress and FLACC scores were excellent (r = 0.89).

CONCLUSION

VASobs was easily applied and preferred by clinicians. Despite evidence of sensitivity and responsiveness to pain, the reliability results were poor, and this scale cannot be recommended for use.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The results of this study prevent recommending the VASobs for assessing procedural pain in infants and young children for clinical or research purposes.

Psychometric Testing of the Turkish Version of Children's Emotional Manifestation Scale

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to determine the Turkish validity-reliability of the Children's Emotional Manifestation Scale (CEMS).

DESIGN

A methodological study design was used.

METHODS

The research was comprised 100 children aged between 7 and 12 who underwent a surgical operation. To ensure the reliability of the scale, necessary permissions were obtained from the creator of the scale and the ethical committee. Language, content, and structure were validated for the validity of the scale.

RESULTS

Content validity index was calculated as 0.96. Confirmatory factor were performed for construct validity. The scale was found to have relatively good model fit indicators. To determine the reliability of the scale, internal consistency coefficient and compliance between observers were evaluated. The Cronbach Alpha coefficient of the scale was found to be 0.94, and the ICC coefficient evaluated among the observers ranged between 0.970 and 0.981.

CONCLUSION

As a result, CEMS was identified as a simple, objective, valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to evaluate the emotional indicators of children in the Turkish population.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

CEMS is appropriate clinical research tool to use in evaluating the children response to stressful medical procedures and effectiveness of interventions directed towards minimizing anxiety and bolstering coping mechanisms in children undergoing surgery.

Analysis of pain perception associated with urodynamic testing in children over 3 years old

OBJECTIVE

To measure the tolerance of urodynamic testing (UDT) in the pediatric patient by means of the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). To analyze which clinical and UDT-related variables influence pain perception.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Cross-sectional study of 139 pediatric patients undergoing UDT (December 2013 - May 2018).

INCLUSION CRITERIA

understanding and expressing their experience after UDT (preschool and school age). No adolescents were included. Measurement instrument Visual Analog Scale (0-10). Other clinical and UDT-associated variables were obtained.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test. Spearman's rank correlation analysis (rs). Multivariate analysis through ordinal logistic regression. Significance p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Mean age 7.7 years (SD 2.4), median VAS score, 2 (2-6). In 41% (n = 57), the score was ≥ 4 (moderate pain). Multivariate analysis. Explanatory variables for obtaining a high VAS score: high APUDT score (identifying patient anxiety prior to UDT), sensory-motor alteration in the lower limbs, difficult bladder catheterization and the appearance of pain during the filling phase. Age and duration of the UDT have not influenced the VAS score.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the UDT has resulted in 40% of the pediatric patients in our study expressing discomfort or pain, it is a well-tolerated test. The variables that have influenced on pain perception were patient's anxiety prior to UDT, a sensory-motor alteration located in the lumbosacral metameres, difficult bladder catheterization and the appearance of pain during bladder filling.

Comparison of the Psychometric Properties of the FLACC Scale, the MBPS and the Observer Applied Visual Analogue Scale Used to Assess Procedural Pain

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare the psychometric data and feasibility and clinical utility of the Face Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability scale (FLACC), the Modified Behavioral Pain Scale (MBPS) and the Visual Analogue Scale for observers (VASobs) used to assess procedural pain in infants and young children.

Patients and Methods

Twenty-six clinicians assessed videorecorded segments of 100 infants and young children who underwent a painful and/or distressing procedure in the emergency department using the FLACC scale, the MBPS and the VASobs pain and VASobs distress.

Results

VASobs pain scores were lowest across all procedures and phases of procedures (p < 0.001). Inter-rater reliability was lowest for VASobs pain scores (ICC 0.55). Sensitivity and specificity were highest for FLACC scores (94.9% and 72.5%, respectively) at the lowest cut-off score (pain score two). Observers changed their MBPS scores more often than they changed FLACC or VASobs scores, but FLACC scores were more often incomplete. Reviewers did not consider any scale of use for procedural pain measurement.

Conclusion

The reliability and sensitivity of the FLACC and MBPS were supported by study data but concerns about the capacity of these scales to distinguish between pain- and non-pain-related distress were raised. The VASobs cannot be recommended. Despite its limitations, the FLACC scale may be better suited than other scales for procedural pain measurement.

Simplified Postoperative Care After Spring-assisted Strip Craniotomy for Sagittal Synostosis: A Prospective Before-and-After Study

ABSTRACT

Since the development of spring-assisted techniques for corrective craniofacial surgery, routine postoperative admission to intensive care units (ICUs) has been questioned. However, close monitoring is necessary if the continuous infusion of morphine is used as recommended for better pain relief. In this study, the authors evaluated a simplified postoperative protocol without continuous morphine infusion and no indwelling urinary catheter following spring-assisted surgery (SAS) for sagittal synostosis. Ten children were cared for according to a standard protocol with postoperative intravenous (i.v.) infusion of morphine and an indwelling urinary catheter, and 11 consecutive children were treated according to a simplified protocol with pain relief based on intermittent injections of morphine and clonidine [according to Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) scores >4] without the indwelling catheter. A Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of distributions between the two groups. The results revealed no differences between groups regarding the proportion of FLACC scores >4, total amount of administered i.v. morphine and clonidine, total volume of buffered glucose infused, time to first feeding on breast milk or substitute, or the length of stay. Despite the inherent limitations of our small observational study, the authors concluded that at our institution, it was possible to exclude a standard continuous i.v. infusion of morphine and an indwelling urinary catheter from our postoperative care protocol without decreasing the quality of pain relief in children submitted to SAS for sagittal synostosis. This finding supports downgrading the level of care from the ICU to a regular ward after limited immediate postoperative observation.

The evidence supporting the association between the use of pain scales and outcomes in hospitalized children: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Systematic use of pain intensity scales is considered a prerequisite for treatment of pain in hospitalized children, but already a decade ago, attention was called to the lack of robust evidence supporting the presumed positive association between their use and desired outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

To re-evaluate the evidence supporting the association between the use of pain scales and patient and process outcomes in hospitalized children.

DESIGN

Systematic literature review.

DATA SOURCES

The online databases PubMed and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) were searched from inception to April 15, 2020.

REVIEW METHODS

We performed single screening of all records followed by duplicate screening of full texts of interest with a disagreement procedure in place. Studies where the authors evaluated outcomes from the use of self-report or behavioral-based pain scales in children 0-18 years in a hospital setting were included. Emergency care settings were excluded.

RESULTS

In a majority of the 32 included studies, complex interventions that included one or more pain scales were evaluated. Process outcomes (e.g., documentation) were most frequently studied. Interventions were commonly associated with improved documentation of pain assessment, while the effect on pain management documentation was inconsistent. However, improvements in process outcomes did not necessarily result in better patient outcomes. In regard to patient outcomes (e.g., pain intensity, side effects, or satisfaction with treatment), some authors reported reduced pain intensity on group level, but the effect on other functional outcomes, child and parent satisfaction, and aspects of safety were inconsistent. Methodological issues, e.g., weak study designs and small samples, biased the results, and it was not possible to determine how pain scales contributed to the overall effects since they were studied as part of complex interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

Although both a theoretically founded understanding of pain and clinical experience suggest that the use of pain scales will make a difference for hospitalized children with pain, there is still limited evidence to support this notion. As pain scales have been almost exclusively studied as an aspect of complex interventions, research that determines the active ingredient(s) in a complex intervention and their joint and individual effects on outcomes that are meaningful for the child (for example reduced pain intensity or improved function) are urgently needed. Tweetable abstract: Limited #research supports association between use of pediatric #pain scales and patient outcomes @_randida @PainPearl.

The scalp block for postoperative pain control in craniosynostosis surgery: a case control study

PURPOSE

Postoperative analgesia after corrective surgery of pediatric craniosynostosis is crucial in terms of short- and long-term outcomes. The objective of this observational study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an analgesic technique based on the scalp block versus traditional pharmacological approach.

METHODS

Thirteen patients, aged between 3 months and 2 years, undergoing surgical correction of craniosynostosis, received scalp nerve block before awakening (scalp block group). This group of patients was compared to a second group of 13 patients, retrieved from our database, treated with the traditional pharmacological approach (control group). Pain scores, need of rescue therapy, resumption of oral nutrition, degree of parent satisfaction at discharge, and length of stay in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and in the hospital were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Objective Pain Score values were significantly lower in patients treated with scalp block at 30 min and at 8 h after extubation. The number of pharmacological interventions for the treatment of pain in PICU was significantly higher in Control group. Children in Scalp block group started earlier oral feeding than in Control group, both for clear fluids and milk. Length of stay in PICU was longer in Scalp block group than in Control group, though the difference between the mean data in the two groups is about 3 . This difference does not seem significant from a clinical standpoint, since it seems more related to logistic issues (e.g., availability of bed in the Pediatric Neurosurgery Unit, presence of a parent), rather than clinical problems contraindicating the discharge from PICU. Indeed, the overall hospital length of stay was similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Scalp nerve block was effective for immediate postoperative pain control in patients younger than 2 years who underwent cranioplasty for craniosynostosis. The best pain control compared to conventional therapy allowed to limit the need for rescue analgesics in PICU and an earlier recovery time. ClinicalTrials.gov Identification: NCT04133467.

Feasibility and Clinical Utility of the Finnish Version of the FLACC Pain Scale in PICU

PURPOSE

To describe the feasibility and clinical utility of the Finnish FLACC scale when assessing children's pain in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

DESIGN AND METHODS

A non-experimental, descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to describe the feasibility and clinical utility in a Finnish PICU between May and August 2018. The nurses were asked to complete a data collection questionnaire about the feasibility and clinical utility of the Finnish FLACC every time they used the scale to assess pain in children. In total, the data consisted of 157 pain assessments cases. Quantitative data were analyzed statistically and responses to open-ended questions were analyzed using content analysis.

RESULTS

In most cases, the nurses agreed that the Finnish FLACC scale was clearly structured (97%), easy to use (98%), helpful in assessing pain intensity (77%), and useful when reassessing pain after interventions (67%). Nurses found the scale more useable for children over one year old than for younger children. When assessing cry and consolability, pain was easier to score if the child was not intubated.

CONCLUSIONS

The Finnish FLACC scale exhibits adequate feasibility and clinical utility when assessing pain in children in a PICU. However, more information is needed about its use during painful short-term procedures and with children under one year old.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The Finnish FLACC scale is a helpful tool for nurses when assessing children's pain in a PICU. However, the Finnish version of the modified FLACC is needed for use with intubated children in the future.

Challenges in pain assessment and management among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Pain is common for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and we need to accelerate the use of evidence-based approaches to assess and manage pain.

Introduction:

Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) include conditions associated with physical, learning, language, behavioural, and/or intellectual impairment. Pain is a common and debilitating secondary condition compromising functional abilities and quality of life.

Objectives:

This article addresses scientific and clinical challenges in pain assessment and management in individuals with severe IDD.

Methods:

This Clinical Update aligns with the 2019 IASP Global Year Against Pain in the Vulnerable and selectively reviews recurring issues as well as the best available evidence and practice.

Results:

The past decade of pain research has involved the development of standardized assessment tools appropriate for individuals with severe IDD; however, there is little empirical evidence that pain is being better assessed or managed clinically. There is limited evidence available to inform effective pain management practices; therefore, treatment approaches are largely empiric and highly variable. This is problematic because individuals with IDD are at risk of developing drug-related side effects, and treatment approaches effective for other populations may exacerbate pain in IDD populations. Scientifically, we are especially challenged by biases in self-reported and proxy-reported pain scores, identifying valid outcome measures for treatment trials, being able to adequately power studies due to small sample sizes, and our inability to easily explore the underlying pain mechanisms due to compromised ability to self-report.

Conclusion:

Despite the critical challenges, new developments in research and knowledge translation activities in pain and IDD continue to emerge, and there are ongoing international collaborations.

Validation of the Greek Version of Comfort-B, FLACC, and BPS Scales in Critically Ill Children and Their Association with Clinical Severity

BACKGROUND

A variety of valid pediatric pain assessment tools are used in clinical practice globally; however, none have been validated for use in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in Greece. Furthermore, the association between pain behavioral responses and clinical status is unclear.

AIMS

To assess the reliability and validity of the Greek version of FLACC, Comfort B, and BPS pain scales in critically ill children and to explore their association with clinical severity (Denver MOF, PMODS) and levels of sedation and analgesia.

METHODS

A methodological and descriptive correlational study was performed in a 6-bed PICU. A total of 60 observations in a sample of 30 children (mean age 4.1 years; 63.3% male) were obtained by 2 independent nurses during rest and painful procedures. At the same time, the bedside nurse assessed the child's pain intensity using the VASobs.

RESULTS

High internal consistency and strong interrater reliability were detected (Cronbach's alpha ≥ .85; ICC > .95, p < .001). The agreement between observers was satisfactory (0.71 ≤ Kappa ≤ 0.96, p < .001). Strong correlations were found among the scales (0.65 ≤ rho ≤0 .98, p < .05). Increased pain scores (≥moderate pain) were observed during painful procedures regardless the administration of analgesia. Statistically significant correlations were found between clinical severity and the FLACC and Comfort B scores (-0.577 ≤ rho ≤ -0.384, p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

These pain tools were found to be suitable for this sample of children in Greece. Wider application of these tools in Greek PICUs and further research regarding their association with the clinical severity and the pain responses is required for the improvement of pain management in critically ill children.

Processed meat intake and chronic disease morbidity and mortality: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Despite the nutritional value of meat, a large volume of reviews and meta-analyses suggests that processed meat intake is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases. However, assessments of the quality of these published reviews internal validity are generally lacking. We systematically reviewed and assessed the quality alongside summarizing the results of previously published systematic reviews and meta-analyses that examined the association between processed meat intake and cancers, type II diabetes (T2D), and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Reviews and meta-analyses published until May 2018 were identified through a systematic literature search in the databases MEDLINE and EMBASE, and reference lists of included reviews. The quality of the systematic reviews and meta-analyses was assessed using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR). All eligible reviews had to comply with two quality requirements: providing sufficient information on quality assessment of the primary studies and a comprehensive search. The results were summarized for T2D, CVD, and each of the different cancer types. The certainty in the estimates of the individual outcomes was rated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) method. In total, 22 systematic reviews were eligible and thus included in this review. More than 100 reviews were excluded because quality assessment of the primary studies had not been performed. The AMSTAR score of the included reviews ranged from 5 to 8 indicating moderate quality. Overall, the quality assessments of primary studies of the reviews are generally lacking; the scientific quality of the systematic reviews reporting positive associations between processed meat intake and risk of various cancers, T2D and CVD is moderate, and the results from case-control studies suggest more often a positive association than the results from cohort studies. The overall certainty in the evidence was very low across all individual outcomes, due to serious risk of bias and imprecision.

Pain Assessment in the Patient Unable to Self-Report: Clinical Practice Recommendations in Support of the ASPMN 2019 Position Statement

Pain is a subjective experience, unfortunately, some patients cannot provide a self-report of pain verbally, in writing, or by other means. In patients who are unable to self-report pain, other strategies must be used to infer pain and evaluate interventions. In support of the ASPMN position statement "Pain Assessment in the Patient Unable to Self-Report", this paper provides clinical practice recommendations for five populations in which difficulty communicating pain often exists: neonates, toddlers and young children, persons with intellectual disabilities, critically ill/unconscious patients, older adults with advanced dementia, and patients at the end of life. Nurses are integral to ensuring assessment and treatment of these vulnerable populations.

Developmental neurobiology as a guide for pharmacological management of pain in neonates

Pain in newborn children should be prevented due to negative short- and long-term consequences. A good understanding of the development of the nociceptive system in newborns is necessary to enable optimal pain assessment, and most importantly to treat and prevent pain adequately in neonates. So far, preclinical juvenile animal studies have led to a tremendous amount of information regarding the development of the nociceptive system. In addition, they have made clear that the developmental stage of the nociceptive system may influence the mechanism of action of different classes of analgesics. Age specific analgesic therapy, based on post-menstrual age, should therefore be considered by incorporating information on the developmental stages of the nociceptive system in combination with knowledge from pharmacokinetic and -dynamic studies in neonates.

Assessment of pain in newborn infants

Hospitalized newborn infants experience pain that can have negative short- and long-term consequences and thus should be prevented and treated. National and international guidelines state that adequate pain management requires valid pain assessment. Nociceptive signals cause a cascade of physical and behavioral reactions that alone or in combination can be observed and used to assess the presence and intensity of pain. Units that are caring for newborn infants must adopt sufficient pain assessment tools to cover the gestational ages and pain types that occurs in their setting. Pain assessment should be performed on a regular basis and any detection of pain should be acted on. Future research should focus on developing and validating pain assessment tools for specific situations.

A new automated device for quantifying mechanical nociceptive responses

BACKGROUND

Traditional methods to assess pain in rodents depend on measures of nociceptive responses, most commonly from the hind paws. While these measures can quantify nociceptive responses to allow pharmacologic testing, they typically have high inter-experimenter variability and are not time-sensitive enough to correct with neural processes that occur on millisecond scales.

NEW METHOD

We have invented a pain detection device that uses changes in skin conductance to measure nocifensive withdrawal responses. This device automatically records how long it takes for a rodent to withdraw its paw from the onset of peripheral noxious stimulation.

RESULTS

With this pain device, we can record accurate timing (on the millisecond scale) for nociceptive responses, with high accuracy and consistency. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this device can allow us to distinguish the nociceptive response to mechanical noxious stimuli of different intensities. Finally, we demonstrate that this device can be digitally integrated to correlate behavior with neural activities in real-time.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates a new automated, temporally specific method for quantifying nociceptive responses to facilitate pain studies.

Cultural adaptation of the Adolescent Pediatric Pain Tool in Turkish children with cancer

PURPOSE

Pain is very common among pediatric cancers. This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Adolescent Pediatric Pain Tool (APPT).

METHODS

In this methodological study, language validity and content validity of the words in the third section of the scale, which was administered to children with cancer, were tested using the Q-sort method. The APPT was used to measure test-retest reliability once for each of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd weeks of the chemotherapy protocols for 30 children. A reliability test was conducted using the APPT for 96 children with cancer.

RESULTS

The number of words included in the third section of the APPT was reduced to 56 following the completion of the language and content validity using the Q-sort method. In the test-retest method, results from the three measures taken showed that the intra-class correlation coefficient was good. The internal consistency of the scale was also good (α = .78) in terms of the total number of body areas marked on body outline diagram, pain severity, pain intensity ratings, total number of word descriptors, and total number of sensory, affective, evaluative and temporal word descriptors. Correlations were found between the total number of body areas marked on the body outline diagram and the total number of word descriptors (r = .53), the pain severity and pain intensity ratings (r = .95), and the total number of word descriptors (r = .38).

CONCLUSIONS

The Turkish version of the APPT was determined to be valid, reliable and easy to use for pediatric cancer patients.

The Psychometric Properties of the FLACC Scale Used to Assess Procedural Pain

The Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) scale is one of the most commonly and widely used behavioral observation pain scales. The aim of this study was to test the psychometric and practical properties of the FLACC scale to quantify procedural pain in infants and young children. Twenty-six clinicians independently applied the FLACC scale to segments of video collected from 100 children aged 6 to 42 months undergoing a procedure. Video segments were scored by 4 reviewers. Inter- and intrarater reliability coefficients were high (.92 and .87, respectively). Linear mixed modeling confirmed scale responsiveness (differences in difference between FLACC scores across phases for painful versus nonpainful procedures was 4.2, 95% confidence interval = 3.67-4.81). Sensitivity and specificity were 94.9% and 73.5%, respectively, at a cutoff of 2. However, the mean difference across phases for children with baseline scores >3 was much lower than for children with scores <3, P = .0001. Correlations between FLACC and Visual Analog Scale observer pain and distress were good (r = .74 and r = .89, respectively). This study supports the reliability and sensitivity of the FLACC scale for procedural pain assessment. However, the circumstances of procedures interfered with application of the scale and the findings question the capacity of the scale to differentiate between pain- and nonpain-related distress.

PERSPECTIVE

This article provides evidence that the FLACC scale is reliable and sensitive to pain for procedural pain assessment. Concerns remain about specificity and scale design. Identification of a scale valid for this purpose is needed to provide a platform for improved procedural pain management in infants and young children.

Quality assessment versus risk of bias in systematic reviews: AMSTAR and ROBIS had similar reliability but differed in their construct and applicability

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the study was to assess the inter-rater reliability (IRR) of AMSTAR and ROBIS in judging individual domains and overall methodological quality/risk of bias of systematic reviews, the concurrent validity of the tools, and the time required to apply them.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

This is a cross-sectional study. Five raters independently read 31 systematic reviews and applied AMSTAR and ROBIS. Fleiss' k for multiple raters for individual domains and overall methodological quality/risk of bias was calculated. Similar domains assessed by both tools and final scores were matched to explore the concurrent validity, using the Kendall tau correlation.

RESULTS

IRR ranged from fair to perfect for AMSTAR and from moderate to substantial for ROBIS. Kappa for overall quality/risk of bias was 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-0.81) for AMSTAR and 0.64 (95% CI 0.54-0.74) for ROBIS. We judged most of the reviews at intermediate quality with AMSTAR (53%), while judgments were split in high (53%) and low (47%) risk of bias with ROBIS. The correlation between judgments on similar domains ranged from moderate to high, while it was fair on the overall judgment (K = 0.35, 95% CI 0.21-0.49). The mean time to complete ROBIS was about double that for AMSTAR.

CONCLUSION

AMSTAR and ROBIS offer similar IRR but differ in their construct and applicability.

The Psychometric Properties of the MBPS Scale Used to Assess Procedural Pain

The Modified Behavioral Pain Scale (MBPS) was designed to assess procedural pain in infants and is considered valid for assessing immunization pain. The aim of this study was to assess the practical and psychometric properties of the MBPS when applied to other commonly performed procedures. Twenty-six clinicians independently applied the MBPS scale to segments of video collected from 100 infants and children aged 6 to 42 months undergoing 1 of 4 procedures in the emergency department. Positive correlation between MBPS and Visual Analogue Scale observer applied (VASobs) pain (r = .74) was shown and inter- and intrarater reliability coefficients were high (.87 and .89, respectively). Construct validity was shown by scale responsiveness to painful stimuli (4.6 times increase in scores across phases) and the capacity of the scale to distinguish between painful versus nonpainful procedures (P < .001). However, mean baseline scores for procedures were not 0 (likely a function of item descriptors for a "0" score) and the mean difference increased across phases for children with baseline scores >3, which was much lower than for children with scores <3 (P = .0001). Finally, 28% of scores changed after the second viewing of a video segment. The MBPS appears reliable and sensitive to procedural pain when applied by clinicians. Results question the capacity of the scale to differentiate between pain- and nonpain-related distress, the feasibility of this scale, and the appropriateness of item descriptors for medical procedures.

PERSPECTIVE

This article presents the psychometric and practical properties of the MBPS applied to assess procedural pain. Identification of a suitable scale for this purpose will support improved pain management in infants and young children who undergo painful procedures.

Pain assessment practices in Swedish and Norwegian neonatal care units

BACKGROUND

The use of measurement scales to assess pain in neonates is considered a prerequisite for effective management of pain, but these scales are still underutilised in clinical practice.

AIM

The aim of this study was to describe and compare pain assessment practices including the use of pain measurement scales in Norwegian and Swedish neonatal care units.

METHODS

A unit survey investigating practices regarding pain assessment and the use of pain measurement scales was sent to all neonatal units in Sweden and Norway (n = 55). All Norwegian and 92% of Swedish units responded.

RESULTS

A majority of the participating units (86.5%) assessed pain. Swedish units assessed and documented pain and used pain measurement scales more frequently than Norwegian units. The most frequently used scales were different versions of Astrid Lindgren's Pain Scale (ALPS) in Sweden and Echelle Douleur Inconfort Noveau-Ne (EDIN), ALPS and Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) in Norway. Norwegian head nurses had more confidence in their pain assessment method and found the use of pain measurement scales more important than their Swedish colleagues.

CONCLUSION

The persisting difference between Swedish and Norwegian units in pain assessment and the use of pain measurement scales are not easily explained. However, the reported increased availability and reported use of pain measurement scales in neonatal care units in both countries may be seen as a contribution towards better awareness and recognition of pain, better pain management and potentially less suffering for vulnerable neonates.