BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Learning about the painful phenomenon during medical qualification shapes future clinical practice. This study aimed at evaluating the perception and understanding of pain in neonates (NN) by medical students, residents in Pediatrics and Neonatology. METHOD: Cross-sectional study with 180 students from the 1st to the 6th year of Medicine, 42 residents in Pediatrics and 20 residents in Neonatology, from 2009 to 2010. Twelve theoretical questions about NN pain were applied. Respondents examined 3 photos: premature under mechanical ventilation, term baby receiving injection and pre-term baby submitted to tracheal aspiration, and scored pain intensity in the visual analog scale. Each student examined 2 panels with 8 photos of the face of 2 term NN, being one photo per panel with facial mimic of pain; and the student would point the photo of the NN with pain. Chi-square and ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Mean number of right answers for theoretical questions has increased from 9 among students of the 1st and 2nd year of the medical course, to 11 for residents in Neonatology. Less than 75% of respondents have identified the painful face in panels 1 and 2, with no difference between students and residents. There has been no difference between students and residents in scores for the two premature photos. For the term NN receiving injection, residents in Pediatrics (p = 0.008) and Neonatology (p = 0.036) have scored more pain than students of the 3rd and 4th year of the Medical course. CONCLUSION: Medical course students and residents were no different in identifying pain in neonates.
Facial expression; Neonate; Pain; Pain evaluation; Teaching
