新生兒疼痛之評估與處理

Pain assessment and management of the newborn

疼痛管理對於新生兒加護病房（NICU）中脆弱的嬰兒，為有效治療一部分，已經越來越受到重視。需要加護治療的嬰兒無法表達他們的不適，使得他們有可能得不到足夠的疼痛治療，所以充分的評估工具是很重要的。因為擔心這些藥物在新生兒中的安全性，NICU中的鎮靜和止痛是有爭議的。因此，鎮靜和止痛在新生兒中的使用雖然是極為重要的，但必須安全有效地進行。實際上，每個NICU都應該有一個程序來減輕NICU患者的疼痛。

Pain management is increasingly emphasized as a part of effective management of vulnerable babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Babies requiring intensive care are unable to express discomfort, making them at risk for inadequate pain treatment, so adequate assessing tools are important. Analgesia and sedation in the NICU has controversy because of concern about the safety of these drugs in the neonatal population. Thus, the use of sedation and analgesia in the neonatal population although extremely important, must be done safely and effectively. In practice, every NICU should have a program to reduce painfor the NICU patients.