| dc.description.abstract | Neonates in neonatal units (NBUs) are treated to several invasive and non-invasive
procedures as part of their medical care. These treatments, which include blood draws,
intubation, mechanical breathing, and operations, can result in substantial pain for the
newborns. Previous research have revealed that untreated pain in newborns can lead to
severe physiological and psychological effects, including increased pain sensitivity,
behavioral difficulties, and delayed neurodevelopment. Despite the increased
awareness of the need for efficient pain management, there is still a shortage of
standardized pain assessment instruments and processes in many healthcare settings.
This study intended to analyze the opinions and practices of nurses working in NBUs
in Nyanza and Western Kenya towards newborn pain care. This was a descriptive
cross-sectional study that used both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The
study targeted 89 nurses working in NBUs across multiple hospitals in Nyanza and
Western Kenya. Data gathering methods included pre-tested self-administered
questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Spearman Correlation was utilized to analyze
the relationship between the variables and p value of ≤ 0.05 was regarded statistically
significant. Qualitative data from the interviews were evaluated thematically to
discover emergent patterns and themes. The study indicated a large gap between
nurses' views and their actual behaviors in addressing newborn pain. Although 75% of
nurses accepted that neonates experience pain, fewer than half (44.9%) perceived basic
operations as painful. This disparity in perception was reflected in the utilization of
pain management techniques; whereas a large proportion of nurses were aware of
pharmacologic (41.6%) and non-pharmacologic (42.7%) interventions for controlling
newborn pain, the practical application of these strategies was markedly absent. A
substantial negative connection was established between nurses' understanding of pain
treatment and the actual use of pain assessment tools (p = 0.01). There was a notable
gap between knowledge and practice; although nurses knew about both pharmacologic
and non-pharmacologic therapies, they infrequently employed them in practice (p <
0.0001 and p = 0.03, respectively). The findings of this study show a large disparity
between the theoretical understanding and perceived neonatal pain treatment methods
among nurses. To solve these concerns, it is advised that the national and county
governments work to create standardized neonatal pain assessment instruments and
organize frequent training sessions for nurses. Additionally, adding a module on newborn pain management into the nursing curriculum and offering on-the-job
training could boost nurses' proficiency and confidence in handling neonatal pain. | en_US |
