Facilitated Tucking Position, Gentle Human Touch Practices and Pain

The Effect of Facilitated Tucking Position and Gentle Human Touch Practices on the Perception of Pain During Heel Blood Collection in Premature Newborns

This prospective study is planned as a randomized controlled study to evaluate the effect of facilitated tucking position and gentle human touch practices on the pain experienced by newborns during heel blood collection. This study is planned to be carried out between 15 July and 15 December 2023 in the neonatal intensive care unit of a training and research hospital in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. The sample size was calculated based on the study of premature infants to determine the effect of facilitated tucking position on procedural pain. According to the results of the study, PIPP pain scores were determined as 11.88±3.05 in the intervention group (n=17) and 9.06±2.95 in the control group (n=17). The effect size of the study was determined as d= 0.939 at α=0.05 level and 95% confidence interval. It was decided to conduct the study with a total of 90 premature babies, 30 of whom were in the groups, in case of data loss during the study.

Neonatal pain negatively affects prognosis, behavior, environmental adaptation, development of the brain and senses, and interaction. Effective management of neonatal pain supports health and recovery, shortens hospital stays, and reduces care costs and the prevalence of neurobehavioral problems. Therefore, proper management of pain in newborns is important for the healthy development of newborns. Many invasive procedures are applied to newborns hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units. Non-nutritive sucking, oral sucrose, kangaroo care, facilitated tucking position, and gentle human touch have proven to have positive effects on the pain experienced by newborns during interventional procedures. In this study, the effect of facilitated tucking position and gentle human touch practices applied during heel blood collection on the perception of pain in premature newborns will be examined.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Premature newborns (34-37 weeks of gestation), dependent on nasal CPAP, without congenital anomalies, not taking sedative or analgesic drugs, not receiving oral feeding, and whose parents approved to participate in the study will be included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Newborns with open wounds on their body, bleeding disorders, and those who underwent a painful procedure just before heel blood sampling will not be included in the study.