ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Neonatal pain management is considered one of the eight principles of neonatal care. This study aims to investigate the construct reflecting neonatal non-pharmacological pain management, in a Brazilian rooming-in unit, and identify the preferred intervention.

METHODS:

This survey study included 47 health professionals assessed through an in-person questionnaire. Factor analysis was conducted with a rotation using the Varimax method. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.78.

RESULTS:

The construct comprised three factors in the following order: 1) knowledge and impact of neonatal pain on parents, 2) the benefits of pain treatment, and 3) non-pharmacological interventions. Breastfeeding is part of the first factor, revealing its particular importance. The reduction of luminosity is part of the second factor. Non-nutritive sucking with sweet solution, kangaroo position, and music therapy are part of the third factor.

CONCLUSION:

The construct observed in this rooming-in identified three factors and suggests that breastfeeding is the preferred intervention to implement for non-pharmacological pain management in the neonate.

Keywords:
Breastfeeding; Factor analysis; Newborn; Pain; Pain management

HIGHLIGHTS

The construct of neonatal pain management observed included knowledge about neonatal pain and the impact of neonatal pain on their parents, the benefits of pain treatment, and non-pharmacological interventions.

Breastfeeding took a more relevant place than the other non-pharmacological interventions for pain management.

Other methods of relevance were reduction of luminosity, non-nutritive sucking with a sweet solution, kangaroo position, and music therapy.