The Effect of Developmental Supportive Positioning on Pain from Venipuncture in Preterm Neonates Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

ABSTRACT

@#Introduction: One non-pharmacological method of pain relief is the application of developmental supportive positioning which is a useful method for achieving this goal. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of developmental supportive positioning on the pain from venipuncture in preterm neonates admitted to the NICU. Methods: In this clinical trial, 54 preterm neonates admitted to the NICU were divided into control and intervention groups using the randomized block method. The neonates in the intervention group were put into developmental supportive positioning for 20 minutes, and then venipuncture was performed in both groups. Changes in the neonates’ facial expressions as well as neonatal physiological parameters including heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen saturation were collected at three time points immediately after needle insertion, two minutes and five minutes after needle removal. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 21 software. Results: The results showed a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of facial expression changes, heart rate and neonatal blood oxygen saturation at two and five minutes after needle removal in the intervention and control groups (P <0.05). The comparison of the mean respiratory rate of the neonates at two and five minutes after needle removal showed no significant difference between the intervention and control groups (P >0.05). Conclusion: It seems that developmental supportive positioning of preterm neonates has a positive effect on the relief of the pain caused by venipuncture. Considering the importance of pain control in preterm neonates, it is recommended to use this method when doing venipuncture.