• B A Hillman, M N Tabrizi, E B Gauda, K A Carson, and S W Aucott.
• Charlotte Bloomberg Children's Center, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
• J Perinatol. 2015 Feb 1;35(2):128-31.

ObjectiveTo determine the reliability of an objective measure of pain, agitation and sedation using the Neonatal Pain, Agitation and Sedation Scale (N-PASS) compared with nursing bedside assessment.Study DesignNeonates admitted in neonatal intensive care unit over a 6-month period were eligible. Pain and sedation were assessed with N-PASS, and a subjective questionnaire was administered to the bedside nurse.ResultA total of 218 neonates were eligible (median: gestational age 34.6 weeks, age at assessment 7 days). N-PASS pain score correlated significantly with both nurses' pain score (Spearman coefficient (r)=0.37; P<0.001) and agitation score (r=0.56; P<0.001). N-PASS sedation score correlated with nurses' sedation score (r=-0.39; P<0.001). Adjusting for gestational age, day of life, intrauterine drug exposure and use of high frequency ventilation only slightly attenuated the correlations (r=0.36, 0.55 and -0.31, respectively).ConclusionThe N-PASS captures nursing assessment of pain, agitation and sedation in this broad population and provides a quantitative assessment of subjective descriptions that often drives patient therapy.

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