Epidemiology of painful procedures in premature and influencing factors in intensive care unit

Objective To report epidemiological data on neonatal pain collected from a geographically defined region, and analyze its influencing factors. Methods We prospectively collected data on all painful procedures from the first 3 days of admission from 106 premature by using self-made questionnaire. Results One hundred and six premature infants experienced 8 167 first-attempt procedures during the first 3 days of admission, 26 painful procedures per premature per day.The top seven were respectively plaster removal 1 661(20.3%), nasal aspiration 1 416(17.3%), blood sugar testing 982(12.0%), foil removal 833(10.2%), intravenous cannula 806(9.9%), removal of intravenous line 803(9.8%), arterial puncture 696(8.5%); 640(7.8%)supplemental attempts were performed.Arterial puncture 274(42.8%)and intravenous cannula 235(36.7%)were the top two painful procedures easily failed.Non-invasive ventilation, mechanical ventilation, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and low weight were the risk factors of painful procedures. Conclusion In neonatal intensive care unit, large number of painful procedures are performed in the first 3 days of admission.Healthcare providers should develop individualized measures to promote the management of premature pain.