Start of Life Care: Nurses and Neonatal Sucrose
Kimberley Marie Eady
ENL 5645 Section 310
Professor Angela Slonosky
July 18th, 2016
Start of Life Care: Nurses and Neonatal Sucrose The accepted definition of pain as per the American Academy of Pediatrics (2015); “pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever the experiencing person says it does.” (p.472). However, what if the person experiencing the pain is an infant? A newborn endures as many as twenty-one painful procedures their first day in the hospital (Pasek & Huber, 2012, p.62). To protect newborn babies from pointless suffering, it is imperative that the nurse advocates for pain relief. Oral sucrose is a non-pharmacological intervention that …show more content…
In order to properly use sucrose to manage pain in infants, nurses need to understand how sucrose works to manage an infant’s pain, understand the signs of pain in infants, and understand how to support the distress the infant’s family may feel.
Understanding Oral Sucrose Oral sucrose or sugar water is a non-pharmacological method of pain relief in newborns. It is safe, simple and effective at preventing and reducing pain. Pasek and Huber (2012) state that oral sucrose “…has a rapid onset of effects and action, thought to be mediated by the release of brain opioids.” (p.62). It is due to the gustatory or natural taste receptors on the newborns tongue that the oral sucrose is effective in relieving pain, safely counteracting noxious stimulation. Oral sucrose is a simple combination of water and sucrose that is becoming more readily available for the management of pain and stress in …show more content…
Since this misconception, many studies have proven that neonates do have all neurological structures required to feel pain, developing as early as the seventh week in utero (Fang et al, 2009, p. 1605). Fang (2009) emphasizes the weight of this misconception by comparing “with adults, for neonates the skin surface to body weight ratio is higher, the density of pain nociceptors is greater and the endorphine secretion is less…” (p. 1605). Neonates can feel pain, though they have very limited ability to express their discomfort. Fang (2009) identifies the neonatal response to pain through four specific behaviours including facial expression, body movement, crying, and state of arousal (p. 1605). Pasek and Huber (2012) express newborns are at risk for brain damage, the formation of free radicals, and consequential hypoxia during painful procedures (p. 62). Their research suggests that unmanaged pain for newborns can lead to deleterious long-term effects. Research provides proof that infants do feel pain, the identifying factors of infant pain, and the long-term effects of prolonged
Kimberley Marie Eady
ENL 5645 Section 310
Professor Angela Slonosky
July 18th, 2016
Start of Life Care: Nurses and Neonatal Sucrose The accepted definition of pain as per the American Academy of Pediatrics (2015); “pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever the experiencing person says it does.” (p.472). However, what if the person experiencing the pain is an infant? A newborn endures as many as twenty-one painful procedures their first day in the hospital (Pasek & Huber, 2012, p.62). To protect newborn babies from pointless suffering, it is imperative that the nurse advocates for pain relief. Oral sucrose is a non-pharmacological intervention that …show more content…
In order to properly use sucrose to manage pain in infants, nurses need to understand how sucrose works to manage an infant’s pain, understand the signs of pain in infants, and understand how to support the distress the infant’s family may feel.
Understanding Oral Sucrose Oral sucrose or sugar water is a non-pharmacological method of pain relief in newborns. It is safe, simple and effective at preventing and reducing pain. Pasek and Huber (2012) state that oral sucrose “…has a rapid onset of effects and action, thought to be mediated by the release of brain opioids.” (p.62). It is due to the gustatory or natural taste receptors on the newborns tongue that the oral sucrose is effective in relieving pain, safely counteracting noxious stimulation. Oral sucrose is a simple combination of water and sucrose that is becoming more readily available for the management of pain and stress in …show more content…
Since this misconception, many studies have proven that neonates do have all neurological structures required to feel pain, developing as early as the seventh week in utero (Fang et al, 2009, p. 1605). Fang (2009) emphasizes the weight of this misconception by comparing “with adults, for neonates the skin surface to body weight ratio is higher, the density of pain nociceptors is greater and the endorphine secretion is less…” (p. 1605). Neonates can feel pain, though they have very limited ability to express their discomfort. Fang (2009) identifies the neonatal response to pain through four specific behaviours including facial expression, body movement, crying, and state of arousal (p. 1605). Pasek and Huber (2012) express newborns are at risk for brain damage, the formation of free radicals, and consequential hypoxia during painful procedures (p. 62). Their research suggests that unmanaged pain for newborns can lead to deleterious long-term effects. Research provides proof that infants do feel pain, the identifying factors of infant pain, and the long-term effects of prolonged