A clinical research perspective: look to the obvious.
The solution to nursing problems can often be found by using a combination of a naturalistic approach and traditional scientific methods. To illustrate this link, the development of a pacifier for low birth weight infants is described. The observation of fetus' thumb sucking in utero led to a broadly based literature review that suggested the idea of the thumb as an appropriate model for nonnutritive sucking. An anthropometric study was conducted to determine if the size of the thumb correlated with the size of the mouth. The correlations between the mouth and thumb further strengthened the appropriateness of the thumb as a model for a low birth weight infant pacifier.
Wardell
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Engebretson
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D000886:Anthropometry; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research / Q000592:standards*; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000592:standards*; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D013391:Sucking Behavior / Q000502:physiology*