The effect of facilitated tucking during endotracheal suctioning on pain and coping with stress in preterm infants: a randomized controlled crossover study

The aim is to examine the effect of facilitated tucking position during endotracheal suctioning on pain and coping with stress in preterm infants. This is a randomized controlled crossover trial. The population under study includes infants under mechanical ventilation. Sample size is 34 infants. The order of intervention/non-intervention will be randomly determined. Half of the infants receive suctioning without intervention, then suctioning with intervention; and the other half receive suctioning with intervention, then suctioning without intervention. To record data, video recording of the infants is done. Heart rate and oxygen saturation values are recorded from monitors. Main inclusion criteria include age between 29 and 37 weeks gestational age, weight 1200 gram or more, and having endotracheal tube. Main exclusion criteria include having chest tube and receiving opioids or sedatives during past 4 hrs. The intervention is as the following: the infant is placed on one side, the infant’s back is gently bended, the legs are got up and flexion at an angle greater than 90 degrees, the shoulders are also constricted up to 90 degrees and the researcher hands are placed over the head close to the mouth or on the infant’s face. Main outcomes variables include pain and coping with stress that are measured immediately after suctioning by Preterm Infant Pain Profile and Neonatal Infant Pain Scale, respectively. Coping with stress is time duration required for achieving scores of one or zero based on Neonatal Infant Pain Scale which is measured every 10 seconds.

Institutional (Tehran University of Medical Sciences)