Effect of the Artificial Night with Facilitated Tucking and Artificial Night Alone on the Physiological Indices of Premature Infants

Abstract

Background: Preterm birth and admission to neonatal intensive care unit as stressors can cause physiological<br />instability that may lead to prolong hospitalization and mortality. This study aimed to determine the effect of artificial<br />nights and facilitated tucking on the physiological indices of premature infants.<br />Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 60 preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care<br />unit at Shohadaye Kargar Hospital in Yazd, Iran, during 2017-18. The infants were selected through a convenient<br />sampling method, and were randomly assigned into three groups of arti icial nights with facilitated tucking (group 1)<br />(n=20), arti icial nights (group 2) (n=20) and control group (group 3) (n=20). Subsequently, the physiological indices<br />(i.e., heart rate, respiration rate, arterial oxygen saturation) were measured twice a day at 7:00 a.m. and 19:00 p.m. for<br />3 days. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 20). A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically<br />significant.<br />Results: There was a significant difference among the three groups in terms of mean values of heart, respiratory, and<br />arterial oxygen saturation rates (P<0.05). The irst experimental group obtained a greater reduction in heart rate and<br />respiratory rate on the third day (at 19:00 p.m.), as well as a greater increase in arterial oxygen saturation rate on the<br />second (at 19:00 p.m.) and third days (at 7:00 a.m. and 19:00 p.m.), compared to the other two groups (P<0.05).<br />Additionally, , the mean value of heart and respiratory rates were lower and arterial oxygen saturation rates were<br />higher in the intervention group 1, compared to the other groups.<br />Conclusion: According to the results of the study, the simulation of the mother's womb environment through creating<br />artificial night and maintaining facilitated tucking resulted in the improvement of physiological indices of the<br />premature infants. Furthermore, artificial night together with facilitated tucking leads to better results, compared to<br />artificial night alone.