Validation of the Pain Assessment in Neonates (PAIN) Scale with the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS)

Purpose: To establish the validity and clinical usefulness of a modified pain assessment scale, the Pain Assessment in Neonates (PAIN) scale.

Design: Correlational design to compare scores obtained on the PAIN with scores obtained on the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS).

Sample: A convenience sample of 196 neonates from an NICU and a step-down unit with gestational ages of 26 to 47 weeks.

Method: Bedside nurses observed the neonates for two minutes and then scored their responses on both scales. The scales were scored sequentially and in a randomized order.

Main Outcome Variable: Correlation of individual item scores and total scores on the PAIN and the NIPS.

Results: The scores for individual items on the PAIN were significantly associated with scores obtained on the NIPS. Overall correlation between the scales was 0.93. These associations suggest that the PAIN is a valid scale for assessment of neonatal pain.