Care by nurses for premature newborns undergoing venous puncture/O cuidado pelo enfermeiro ao recem-nascido prematuro frente a puncao venosa/El cuidado por el enfermero al recien nacido prematuro frente a la puncion venosa

This study aimed to identify how nurses perform care to minimize pain before, during and after venous puncture in premature newborns. This qualitative study involved 12 nurses in a neonatal intensive care unit at a university hospital in Rio de Janeiro City. Data were collected by semi-structured interview in March-April 2011 and were analyzed by Bardin content analysis, which identified four categories: performing suction and using glucose; positioning, containing and organizing the premature newborn comfortably; giving warmth, comfort and handling the newborn carefully; and feeling concern over the venous puncture and the newborn. In order to make this procedure as painless as possible for the newborn, the nurses indicated care they consider essential for pain relief in venous puncture, but they do not differentiate the stages in this process.