Applicability of Neonatal Pain Scores depending on Level of Education and Work Experience in Child Care

Abstract

In management of pain the nursing staff plays a major role in measuring, preventing and treating pain. The influence of general work experience and experience with newborns was investigated by comparing PIPP and NRS measurements in groups with work experience and student nurses. 44 students of the nursing school and 35 members of the staff of 2 university hospitals scored the Premature Infant Pain Profile PIPP - a 7 dimensional measurement tool - for 10 videos of painful procedures on preterm and newborn. The subjective impression of the patients' pain was obtained by a NRS. In contrast to the application of one dimensional measurement tools there were no differences between the groups with different experience levels. Also the work experience with newborn did not seem to influence the total PIPP score. Certainly both groups showed a moderate dispersion of the total values (e. g. Video 1: 10,5 [9-12] vs. 10 [3-11]). In NRS students rated the pain lower than experienced nurses. These results were not significant. The application of PIPP by students was equal to the application by experienced nurses. The work experience with newborn did not seem to influence the rating. Certainly both groups showed a moderate dispersion of total values (e. g. Video 1: 10,5 [9-12] vs. 10 [3-11]).