Nurses' perceptions of pain in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Pain in neonates has only recently become the focus of clinical and research attention. Measurement of pain in this population presents special problems. Neonatal nurses were selected as observers and recorders of neonatal pain behavior, as they are in constant contact with neonates undergoing aversive procedures, and thus have special expertise in this area. This study used a questionnaire to examine the perceptions of neonatal nurses as to the indicators and causes of different intensities of pain. Nurses used similar classes of behavior to indicate pain, but varied somewhat in the specific behavioral indicators for different levels of pain. A very wide range of sources of pain was identified.