Dilek Küçük Alemdar1, Fatma Güdücü Tüfekci2. 1. Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey. 2. Pediatric Nursing Department, Nursing Faculty, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
Abstract
AIM: To investigate the effect of smelling amniotic fluid on preterm infants' pain and stress caused by peripheral cannulation. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial. The study sample consisted of 80 preterm infants meeting the case selection criteria and infants were randomly assigned to each group. However, in addition to the infants excluded from the study, total number of the infants in all the groups was 61. Infants in the amniotic fluid group smelled amniotic fluid for 15 min before, during, and after the application of peripheral cannulation while those in the control group received routine care during the procedure. The Premature Infant Pain Profile was used to assess their pain levels, and salivary cortisol analysis was performed to evaluate stress levels. RESULTS: Preterm infants in the amniotic fluid and control groups had similar baseline characteristics. However, the pain levels of infants in the amniotic fluid group were significantly lower than of those in the control group during and after the procedure. After the procedure, cortisol levels of the infants in the amniotic fluid group were lower than of those in the control group, although this difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: The intervention of smelling amniotic fluid is a practice that can be used for reducing pain and stress of preterm infants during peripheral cannulation.
RCT Entities:
AIM: To investigate the effect of smelling amniotic fluid on preterm infants' pain and stress caused by peripheral cannulation. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial. The study sample consisted of 80 preterm infants meeting the case selection criteria and infants were randomly assigned to each group. However, in addition to the infants excluded from the study, total number of the infants in all the groups was 61. Infants in the amniotic fluid group smelled amniotic fluid for 15 min before, during, and after the application of peripheral cannulation while those in the control group received routine care during the procedure. The Premature InfantPain Profile was used to assess their pain levels, and salivary cortisol analysis was performed to evaluate stress levels. RESULTS: Preterm infants in the amniotic fluid and control groups had similar baseline characteristics. However, the pain levels of infants in the amniotic fluid group were significantly lower than of those in the control group during and after the procedure. After the procedure, cortisol levels of the infants in the amniotic fluid group were lower than of those in the control group, although this difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: The intervention of smelling amniotic fluid is a practice that can be used for reducing pain and stress of preterm infants during peripheral cannulation.