Background: One of the key elements of patient care is the relief and prevention of pain sensations. The importance of pain prevention and treatment has been emphasized by many international organizations. Despite the recommendations and guidelines based on evidence, contemporary research shows that the problem of pain among patients in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in various centers is still an important and neglected problem. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge of the medical personnel and their perception of the issue of pain in neonatal patients. Methods: A quantitative descriptive study carried out in 2019. The study used a nurses’ perceptions of neonatal pain questionnaire. Results: A total of 43 Polish hospitals and 558 respondents participated in the project. 60.9% (n = 340) and 39.1% (n = 218) of respondents were employed in secondary and tertiary referral departments, respectively. Conclusion: Our analyses indicate that despite the availability of pain assessment tools for neonatal patients, only a few centers use standardized tools. The introduction of strategies to promote and extend the personnel’s awareness of neonatal pain monitoring scales is necessary.

Introduction: Recently, interest in the problem of proper prevention and monitoring of pain, especially acute, has been increasing in relation to various age groups. Greater awareness of the problem prompts discussion about the purpose of analgesia in newborns treated with mechanical ventilation. Aim: The purpose of the systematic review was to analyze current research on the use of pain scales in newborns treated with mechanical ventilation in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Methods: Medline databases: PubMed, OVID, EBSCO, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were traced using the appropriate keywords. The search was limited to studies in English. The review took into account the years 2006– 2019. Considering the criteria, 12 articles were included in further analysis, to which full access was obtained. Results: The analyzed scientific research showed differences in beliefs about the validity and credibility of the scales used. Researchers indicated that staff with practical experience in using scales in their daily practice was very skeptical of the results obtained on their basis. Conclusion: Based on this review, no explicit evidence can be obtained to support the use of one proper scale in pain assessment. It can be inferred that the COMFORT and N-PASS scales are effective for pain assessment and for determining the need for analgesics in mechanically ventilated neonates. These scales may be equally effective in assessing chronic pain, especially in mechanically ventilated children. On the other hand, the PIPP and CRIES scales are most commonly recommended for assessing acute and postoperative pain.

Background: Nonnutritive sucking (NNS) is a common behavior observed in neonates and infants, characterized by sucking motions not associated with nutritional intake. This reflexive activity plays a significant role in early neurobehavioral development and is often considered an indicator of central nervous system maturity. In both term and preterm infants, NNS has been associated with various developmental outcomes, including improved feeding efficiency, self‐regulation, and soothing behaviors. Despite its widespread clinical use, especially in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), the mechanisms, long‐term effects, and optimal therapeutic applications of NNS remain subjects of ongoing research and debate. Methods: The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion criteria encompassed preterm and full‐term infants, as well as children up to 12 years of age, and included experimental, randomized, controlled, longitudinal, and cross‐sectional studies. Exclusion criteria comprised studies involving adults or children over 12 years of age, case reports, editorials, diaries, reviews, meta‐analyses, articles lacking assessment tools or numerical data, and publications not in English or Polish. Full texts were assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, and the study quality was evaluated with the GRADE system. The databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Cochrane Library, Elsevier, and Wiley Online Library, covering studies published between 2019 and 2025. A total of 19 articles met the inclusion criteria. The final search was conducted on 16 February 2025. Results: The analysis of 19 selected studies revealed a range of confirmed and potential benefits, as well as adverse aspects associated with the use of NNS. Additionally, several knowledge gaps were identified, highlighting the need for further research. Conclusion: NNS is an effective and safe method for alleviating procedural pain in newborns. It promotes the coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing in preterm infants, thereby facilitating the initiation of oral feeding. However, prolonged pacifier use has been linked to an increased risk of malocclusion and delays in speech development, which supports the recommendation to limit this habit early in life.

Healing pain as well as preventing it is an indisputable right of every human being. Activities connected with/ related to medical care in the neonatal intensive care unit may be the source of pain. The aim of the study was to characterize the problem of pain in terms of patients of neonatal intensive care units. The work describes not only the perception of neonatal pain but also preventing and therapeutic actions, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies. The last one can be used widely in the daily work of nursing/midwifery staff with neonatal intensive care unit (OITN) patients and their care providers. The study analyzed national and foreign literature on pain therapy in cases of patients of neonatal intensive care units. The available bibliographic databases include Medline, Scopus, PubMed and Google Scholar. The following keywords were used as search criteria: “pain”, “newborn baby”, “neonatal intensive care unit “‘nurse”, “midwives”.