The Effect of Gentle Human Touch on Pain, Comfort and Physiological Parameters in Preterm Infants During Heel Lancing

This randomized controlled experimental study is planned in order to determine the effect of gentle human touch on pain, comfort and physiological parameters in preterm infants during heel lancing matched for gestational age, gender and birth weight. The research sample will consist of 50 preterm infants who meet the inclusion criteria. In the literature, the number of infants varies between 11 and 38 in different studies in which gentle human touch was applied to preterm infants. In this study, it was decided that the number of infants in the groups should be 25 according to α=95% confidence level and 90% power. In the study, it was planned to have 25 infants in the gentle human touch (GHT) and control groups. After reaching 50 preterm infants in the study, power analysis will be calculated using pain scores and it will be decided whether the sample size is sufficient or not. The infants in the GHT group will be applied gentle human touch for a total of 15 minutes, starting 10 minutes before the heel lancing and continuing during the heel lancing. The infants in the control group will not be subjected to any intervention other than their clinical routines, only observation will be made. Being 32-37 gestational age weeks, being birth weight of 1500 g and above, without a congenital anomaly, not having any disease at birth such as neonatal asphyxia, hemolytic status, metabolic disease, skin disease, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and sepsis, no chest tube, not connected to a mechanical ventilator, not having intracranial bleeding, not taking any medication other than antibiotics and vitamin supplements, not taking opiates and sedatives within 4 hours before heel lancing, no painful intervention is applied at least one hour before the heel lancing, preterm infants whose mothers gave verbal and written consent will be included in the study. Data will be collected with the Questionnare Form, Physiological Parameters Observation Form, Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), Premature Infant Comfort Scale (PBIC) and Pulse Oximeter.