Nurses' Knowledge And Practices On Neonatal Pain Management

Neonates frequently experience pain due to medical interventions such as venipunctures, mechanical ventilation, and surgical procedures. Nurses in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) play a crucial role in neonatal pain management, yet gaps in knowledge, inconsistent pain assessment practices, and poor adherence to standardized protocols persist. This study aimed to evaluate NICU nurse's knowledge and practices regarding neonatal pain management, assess the utilization of validated pain assessment tools, and identify barriers that hinder effective pain relief measures. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in selected tertiary care hospitals with 150 NICU nurses using a validated structured questionnaire and a researcher-designed observational checklist. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS (Version 22), employing descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and ANOVA to examine differences across multiple groups. The findings revealed moderate awareness among nurses (mean knowledge score: 7.26 ± 1.99, 95% CI: 7.1–7.9), yet 60% relied on personal judgment rather than validated pain assessment tools. Non-pharmacological pain relief strategies were utilized by 58% of nurses, while 60% employed pharmacological interventions, with only 48% adhering to hospital protocols. The study identified three primary barriers: insufficient training (40%), time constraints (35%), and lack of standardized pain assessment tools (25%). These findings emphasize the urgent need for structured training programs, standardized pain assessment tools, and policy improvements in NICUs. Future research should explore intervention-based studies, technological advancements in pain assessment, and comparative analyses across diverse healthcare settings to further improve neonatal pain management strategies.