CRIES - A NEW NEONATAL POSTOPERATIVE PAIN MEASUREMENT SCORE - INITIALTESTING OF VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY

We have developed a neonatal pain assessment tool CRIES. The tool is a ten point scale similar to the APGAR score (Apgar 1953). It is an acr onym of five physiological and behavioural variables previously shown to be associated with neonatal pain. C-Crying; R-Requires increased ox ygen administration; I-Increased vital signs; E-Expression; S-Sleeples sness. We have tested CRIES for validity and reliability. This report is the result of that testing. We have found CRIES to be valid, reliab le and well accepted by neonatal nurses.