A nurse is orienting to a new position in an infant nursery

Question

When the healthcare provider is preparing to perform a circumcision on a 2-day-old newborn who was born 2 weeks early, the nurse asks about the administration of pain medication prior to the procedure. The healthcare provider states: "Newborns do not have pain at this age, so why should we give any medication?" The nurse's best response would be: 1. "I would think it would make the parents feel better to know it had been given."
2. "I am going to have to report you to the ethics board."
3. "Pain transmission has been documented in infants of this age."
4. "What will it hurt to just go ahead and give it?"

Answer 1

3
Rationale 1: The emotional well-being of the parents is of interest but does not address the question being asked.
Rationale 2: Reporting the healthcare provider to the ethics board is not indicated as the healthcare provider has not acted in a manner consistent with a violation of ethics.
Rationale 3: Research has changed the perception that infants do not feel pain. Performing procedures that may induce pain necessitates that pain management interventions should be implemented. An infant may have pain interventions based upon behavioral responses exhibited.
Rationale 4: Asking for the medication to be given does not meet the question being asked.