Comparing the Impact of Swaddled and Conventional Bathing Methods on Some Physiological Parameters Among the Premature Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Introduction and Aim: Bathing in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) is regarded as a stressful experience for premature infants. Reducing physiological and behavioral stress are important challenges in bathing preterm infants. Swaddle bathing can be used as a low-stress and appropriate bathing method for premature infants. Given the limitations of the researches carried out on this bathing method, the present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effects of swaddled and conventional bathing methods on some physiological parameters among the premature infants in NICU.Methods: In this randomized clinical trial study, 50 premature infants hospitalized in NICU who were eligible for the study were divided by random allocation into two experimental and control groups. The infants in the experimental group were bathed using the swaddle bathing method and the infants in the control group were bathed using the conventional bathing method. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen saturation were measured 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after the bathing. The data were analyzed using chi-squared test, independent samples T-test and paired T-test.Findings: The results showed that the mean changes in heart rate (p<0.001), respiration rate (p<0.001) and blood oxygen saturation percentage (p=0.002) in the experimental group was significantly lower than in the control group. Conclusion: Given the positive impact of swaddled bathing in reducing physiological stress responses, it can be used as a suitable and safe bathing method in NICU

کلیدواژه ها:

Swaddle bathing ، physiological parameters ، premature infant ، neonatal intensive care unit