Efeito do knowledge translation para melhoria do manejo da dor em recém-nascidos em uma unidade neonatal

Abstract

There are strategies and interventions with proven effectiveness for the adequate management of neonatal pain. However, the simple dissemination of knowledge at the end of a research and/or training do not guarantee the use of knowledge by health professionals in clinical practice, resulting in a gap between knowing and doing. Given the frequent and repeated exposure of newborns to painful procedures in the neonatal unit and the deleterious consequences of untreated pain, it is urgent to implement innovative actions that promote changes in clinical practice to transform the available evidence into action. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a multifaceted Knowledge Translation (KT) intervention to improve the management of neonatal pain. It is a quasi-experimental study, with no control group, of pre- and posttest type, performed at the neonatal unit of a public maternity hospital in Goiás, Brazil, from February 2015 to March 2016. The intervention used was Evidence-Based Practice for Improving Quality (EPIQ), which was divided into two phases: preparation and implementation, and change. A Research and Practice Council consisting of health professionals of the neonatal unit led and facilitated the proposed changes. Implementation was carried out in three rapid cycles, with one target for each cycle being established. Several KT strategies were used in combination, according to what the goal and barriers indicated, such as: reminders, bedside training, videos, educational leaflets, auditing and feedback, clinical protocols and didactic presentation. In Cycle 1, all professionals were sensitized to the adequate management of neonatal pain, and 89.4% of the professionals considered it possible to use the presented strategies. In cycle 2, the PIPP-R and EDIN scales were used to assess pain. At the first audit of cycle 2, of the total of 64 painful procedures (aspiration, blood collection and catheter insertion), the PIPP-R scale was applied in 30.8% of these procedures and EDIN in 26.2%. In the second audit of cycle 2, from 38 painful procedures, the PIPP-R scale was registered in 23.7% and EDIN, 23.8%. In cycle 3, the goals of cycle 2 were maintained and 20% oral glucose administration was included for relief of acute pain during peripheral catheter insertion and blood collection. In the audit of cycle 3, glucose was administered in 29.6% from the total of 54 painful procedures. After the completion of the implementation process, a final audit was carried out for 25 days. From the total of 444 painful procedures, the PIPP-R scale was applied in 26.6% and the EDIN scale was applied 50.7%; and glucose was 17 administered in 25.1% of these procedures. We conclude that, while faced with a challenging context and with the multifaceted KT intervention used in this study (EPIQ), it was possible to observe a significant increase, by health professionals, in the use of scales to assess pain and oral glucose administration to relieve neonatal pain. However, strategies to improve and sustain these outcomes are needed to ensure that every newborn has their pain evaluated and treated.