OBJECTIVE: To perform a literature review on the main variables associated with in the actions and attitudes of healthcare professionals regarding pain management during the neonatal period. DATA SOURCES: Bibliographic search of Medline, SciELO and Lilacs databases for articles published in English and Portuguese between 1995 and 2009, using the descriptors "pain", "Neonatal Intensive Care" and "health personnel". Among 88 articles, the 55 more recent and relevant ones were included. DATA SYNTHESIS: The studies confirmed that neonatal pain management by healthcare professionals is inadequate. This may be related to insufficient knowledge regarding the physiopathology of pain; lack of systematic guidelines on pain assessment and management and failure in communication and incorporation of knowledge into the clinical practice by health professionals. Moreover, there are individual and professional subjective factors that may affect pain evaluation and treatment in newborns. CONCLUSIONS: There are multiple obstacles to adequate neonatal pain management. Understanding the attitudes and beliefs of healthcare teams is important to assess and heat neonatal pain. There is a need for investments on the qualification and awareness of healthcare professionals regarding pain control in order to provide humanized neonatal care.
pain; intensive care, neonatal; Health personnel