Use of analgesic agents for invasive medical procedures in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics Vol. 121; no. 4; p. 647
• Main Authors: Bauchner, H, May, A, Coates, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-10-1992
• Subjects: Analgesia - statistics & numerical data; Analgesics; Child; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; Pain - prevention & control
• ISSN: 0022-3476
• DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3476(05)81164-3

The purpose of this study was to assess the use of analgesic agents for invasive medical procedures in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. The directors of 38 pediatric units and 31 neonatal units reported that analgesics were infrequently used for intravenous cannulation (10%), suprapubic bladder aspiration (8%), urethral catheterization (2%), or venipuncture (2%). Analgesics were used significantly more regularly in pediatric than in neonatal intensive care units for arterial line placement, bone marrow aspiration, central line placement, chest tube insertion, paracentesis, and lumbar puncture.