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The effect of facilitated tucking on procedural pain control among premature babies
Olive Lopez1, Pathmawathi Subramanian, Norsiah Rahmat
1Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Insights
Facilitated tucking significantly reduced pain in preterm infants during venepuncture. This nursing intervention offers effective pain relief for neonates undergoing painful procedures in the NICU.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric nursing
- Pain management
Background:
- Preterm neonates experience numerous painful procedures in the NICU.
- Infant pain has significant short- and long-term negative consequences.
- Neonatal nurses play a crucial role in managing procedural pain in premature infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of facilitated tucking in alleviating pain during venepuncture in preterm infants.
- To provide evidence-based strategies for pain management in neonatal intensive care.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-experimental study design was employed.
- Participants included 42 preterm infants in a neonatal intensive care unit, divided into control and treatment groups (n=21 each).
- Pain was assessed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) score.
Main Results:
- The treatment group, receiving facilitated tucking, showed significantly lower PIPP scores (M = 6.62, SD 2.598) compared to the control group (M = 8.52, SD 2.99).
- The reduction in PIPP scores in the treatment group indicates effective pain alleviation.
- Statistical analysis confirmed a significant difference between the groups (t = -2.202, p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Facilitated tucking is an effective intervention for reducing procedural pain in preterm infants.
- Neonatal nurses should incorporate facilitated tucking into their practice to manage infant pain.
- This non-pharmacological approach offers a valuable method for improving the care of preterm neonates.
Aims And Objectives:
To determine the effectiveness of facilitated tucking in reducing pain when venepuncture is being performed on preterm infants.
Background:
Preterm neonates are exposed to a myriad of invasive, often painful, procedures throughout their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. A growing volume of evidence shows that pain in preterm infants has both short- and long-term deleterious effects. It is within the power and ethical responsibility of neonatal nurses to help premature babies cope with procedural pain.
Design:
A quasi-experimental study with two groups: control and treatment group.
Methods:
A study was conducted on a cohort of preterm infants (n = 42), divided into control (n = 21) and treatment (n = 21) groups, to determine the effect of facilitated tucking on pain relief during venepuncture on preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. The severity of pain was measured using the Premature Infant Pain Profile score. The primary outcome measure was reduction in the Premature Infant Pain Profile scores.
Results:
The Premature Infant Pain Profile score for the treatment group was significantly lower (M = 6·62, SD 2·598) than for the control group (6·62 ± 2·60 vs. 8·52 ± 2·99, respectively, t = -2·202, p < 0·05).
Conclusions:
Facilitated tucking reduced the Premature Infant Pain Profile scores in preterm infants.
Relevance To Clinical Practice:
The findings of this study suggest that facilitated tucking is able to alleviate pain; therefore, nurses must be able to carry out facilitated tucking when necessary.
