Anyone using NIPS scale?

Please, tell me about NIPS and CRIES. I'm on Peds Unit and children's pain scales aren't sensitive to infants- not even the ones for nonverbal children. I've been looking around for a standardized infant pain scale. We are using one called Infant Pain Scale but no reliability/validity testing as far as I can tell and why use it if we don't know if it works? All info appreciated.

We use NIPS and do it w/ every assessment. We have a chart on our flowsheet that we score by. I think it is very helpful.

Heather

We use cries and I think it is useless in the NICU! We are trying to convice the CNS to let us change it!

We use the PIPP scoring tool. Just started a few months ago, we look at gest age, facial movements, HR and desats. It's not always helpful and the residents don't like to order pain meds even if the score is high. But we have to record it q shift . I think it is in the Merenstein and Gardner book.

We don't actually use an offical scale in NIUU where I work (we are looking to develop something, that satisfies nurses and dr's) but I have used this author for basing my judgements although she has her faults her scale taked into account ventilated infants this is the ref I have

Sparshott M, (1996)

The development of a clinical distress scale for ventilated newborn infants: identification of pain and distress based on a validated behavioural scores

JOURNAL OF NEONATAL NURSING

April 5-10

She has written a book too but cant for the life of me find the reference for it.

wrote an essay onthis two years ago and have ref list if anyone interested

Karen

We just started using the NIPS scale in our nursery and it sems to work ok. We do an assessment on admission, once a shift and during and after any procedure.

Originally posted by Mattigan

Please, tell me about NIPS and CRIES.

Ooof!There is and article comparing them in the new Neonatal Nursing Journal. I'll dig it up for you. I just worked a double and am seeing so right now, just trying to get my baby to nap!

We use the PIPP scoring also. We record it with every VS. Infant unstable and having vitals charted q hour? Then PIPP scoring every hour, or more frequently if VS are charted more frequently. Also, on admission and during and after procedures.

We use N-pass. it scores sedation and pain. We have been using it for over a year. I think that it works well. When asking about pain/sedation the doc's will even ask for the n-pass score.