The effect of timing of initial bath on newborn's temperature.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of the early timing of an initial bath on newborn temperature. DESIGN: Random assignment to group, comparative study. SETTING: Newborn nursery of a 20-bed obstetric unit in a regional hospital in the Midwest. PATIENTS: 80 healthy, full-term newborns. INTERVENTIONS: 40 neonates were bathed at 1 hour of age and 40 were bathed at 2 hours of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Axillary temperatures were measured before the admission bath and at 10, 20, and 60 minutes after the bath with disposable thermometers; the maximum drop in temperature also was determined. RESULTS: No significant differences were noted in axillary temperatures between the two groups before the bath or at 10, 20, or 60 minutes after the bath. The groups did not differ significantly by gender, birth weight, length of bath in minutes, room temperature during bath, Apgar score at 5 minutes, or gestational age. CONCLUSION: Healthy full-term newborns with an axillary temperature > or = 36.8 degrees C (98.2 degrees F) can be bathed after 1 hour of age when appropriate care is taken to support thermal stability.

The history and evolution of athletic training education in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To present a chronologic review of the history and evolution of athletic training education in the United States as related to the professional growth of athletic training and the National Athletic Trainers' Association. BACKGROUND: Commonly accepted characteristics of a profession are an identifiable body of knowledge, the emergence of practitioners as professional authorities, and community recognition. These characteristics establish the criteria by which the professional growth, or professionalization, of athletic training can be judged. With guidance from the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the development of athletic training education programs and credentialing of athletic trainers during the past 50 years have contributed to the professionalization of athletic training. DESCRIPTION: We present a chronology of the contributions of the National Athletic Trainers' Association to the development of athletic training education in the United States. The activities of various committees, task forces, and Association members are reviewed and traced through the past 5 decades. Early curriculum models and the development of education programs in colleges and universities are discussed. ADVANTAGES: The historical review of athletic training education in this article will enhance the reader's understanding of the relationships among education, credentialing of practitioners, and professionalism in athletic training.