Abstract
The premature child is very sensitive to even small stimulus from the environment. Pain can cause a stress reaction leading to severe complications. Therefore the care for a premature child seeks to prevent any unnecessary negative stimulus. In order to support vital functions PO2 and PCO2 are monitored continuously. The monitoring device has to be changed eight times a day, and in the staff experience this procedure causes the child pain. The aim of the study was to describe whether premature children experience pain when the device to monitor PO2 and PCO2 is changed. Over a period of three months all children born before week 32 admitted to the neonatal care unit at a Danish county hospital were allocated to the study. All together 9 children participated. At least one episode of changing the monitoring device was recorded on video for each child. The eighteen video recordings were analysed by three nurses using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) scoring system to assess the pain intensity experienced by the child. PIPP score above 12 indicate severe pain. All children experienced severe pain during the change procedure as they got a PIPP score between 13 and 18 with a median score of 15. This pilot study has demonstrated that premature children experience severe pain by the nursing procedure. It is therefore suggested that a method is developed insuring the necessary assessment of vital functions without causing unnecessary risk to the children.