Abstract: Objective: To compare the reliability and validity of the CRIES scale, PIPP scale and N-PASS scale for neonatal postoperative pain assessment and then find the most reliable and valid postoperative pain assessment scale for neonates. Methods: The convenience sampling method was adopted to select 67 newborns who had been operated in a third-grade A children's hospital in Chongqing from August 2019 to January 2020 as the research objects. Data were collected through general information questionnaire and bedside video recording. Three scales were used to evaluate the pain of each patient for a total of 2,412 times at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours after surgery. The reliability and validity of three scales were evaluated by correlation analysis, reliability analysis, principal component analysis and exploratory factor analysis. Results: The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of CRIES, PIPP, and N-PASS were 0.906, 0.769, and 0.915 respectively. The test-retest reliability was 0.917, 0.753 and 0.919, respectively. Criterion validity was 0.887,0.874 and 0.920, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis extracted 1, 2 and 2 components, and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 72.717%, 71.133% and 87.252%, respectively. Conclusion: The reliability and validity of the N-PASS scale was higher than that of the CRIES scale and PIPP scale, which was more suitable for the assessment of neonatal postoperative pain.

Key words: Neonates, Postoperative pain, CRIES, PIPP, N-PASS