Tactile stimulation and preterm infants.

A critical challenge for care providers is improving the outcomes for premature infants. The issues of how to control various kinds of stimulation, provide appropriate sensory stimulation, and maintain the quality of life of premature infants becomes the central focus of care given in neonatal intensive care units. Therefore, intervention research studies that improve the development and quality of life for premature infants are vitally important. This article comparatively analyzes and critiques five intervention studies of premature infants using tactile stimulation and provides future research directions in this area. By examining the effectiveness of the tactile stimulation studies, some evidence and guidance can be provided for researchers generating knowledge in this area as well as nurses involved in clinical care.