Psychometric Evaluation of the Neonatal Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Scale (n-Pass) Tool in Infants and Children Age One to Thirty-Six Months in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit

<p>The purpose of this study was to investigate the Neonatal Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Scale (N-PASS) tool for evidence of validity and reliability in infants and children aged one to thirty-six months in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). This study design was a prospective, non-experimental psychometric evaluation of the N-PASS tool.</p><p>The research was conducted at a Midwestern Medical Center. The sample analyzed comprised forty subjects aged one to thirty-six months.</p><p>Data collection involved the evaluation of participants every five minutes, utilizing the N-PASS sedation subscale along with the University of Michigan Sedation Scale (UMSS) and the N-PASS pain/agitation subscale along with the Face, Legs, Arms, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) tool. All subjects were observed for a minimum of ten observations.</p><p>The results showed that the Cronbach's alphas of the N-PASS sedation scale ranged from .853 to .923, and from .935 to .971 for the N-PASS pain/agitation scale. Correlations between the N-PASS sedation scale and the UMSS tool ranged from .847 to .967. Correlations between the N-PASS pain/agitation scale and the FLACC tool ranged from .980 to .996.</p><p>Repeated Measures ANOVA analysis revealed that the N-PASS sedation score decreased linearly over time. Repeated Measures ANOVA indicated that the N-PASS pain/agitation scores changed over time, but not at a linear, quadratic, or cubic form. Regression analysis revealed a statistically non-significant linear trend for the prediction of amount of time spent in PACU as a function of change in sedation levels from time 1 to time 10.</p><p>Principal axis factor analysis found that two factors accounted for 80.46 to 87.77% of the variance. One factor represented pain/agitation, and one factor represented sedation, confirming the two subscales of the N-PASS tool. All items had high factor loadings (> .60). Factor structure remained similar over the three time periods.</p><p>The implications for this research indicate sufficient evidence for use of the N-PASS tool for sedation and pain/agitation assessment in infants and children one to thirty-six months of age.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nursing

Year dc:date.available

2014

Author dc:creator

• Hummel, Patricia A.

• Pain assessment
• Sedation assessment
• Nursing

Repository record dc:identifier

https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/900

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ecommons.luc.edu:luc_diss-1899