RESPONSES OF INTUBATED INFANTS DURING SKIN TO SKIN CARE

University Of Utah, Salt Lake City UT

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this study is to test the effect of SSC on physiologic responses/stability and energy conservation in stable intubated VLBW infants. The independent variable is the treatment (intermittent SSC or incubator care) and the dependent variables are physiologic responses and energy conservation as measured by heart rate variability, oxygen saturation, measured fraction of inspired oxygen, skin temperature, behavioral state, and daily weight. It is anticipated that SSC will improve physiologic stability and promote energy conservation by modulating the infant's autonomic nervous system (ANS). The hypotheses to be tested are: 1) Infants will demonstrate improved HRV, oxygen saturations, supplemental fraction of inspired oxygen, and skin temperature patterns across time during SSC when compared to incubator care. 2) The ration of low frequency to high frequency power regions of HRV will be lower during SSC than during incubator care. 3) Supplemental measured FiO2 will be lower during SSC than during incubator care. 4) Oxygen saturation will be higher during SSC than during incubator care. 5) Infants will spend more time the quiet sleep behavioral state during SSC than during incubator care. 6) The average daily weight gain in the VLBW infant will be greater during the SSC phase than during the incubator care phase. A prospective, quasi-experimental, interrupted time series, crossover design will be used. A purposive sample of 16 infants will be used. Instruments include a HP Neonatal Monitoring System, the ABSS, and a variety of other physiologic monitoring systems. Data analysis strategies include frequencies and measures of central tendencies as well as spectral analyses and other time series analyses techniques for the physiologic data. RESEARCH PLAN