title: Considerations for implementation of a neonatal kangaroo care protocol.
abstract: Kangaroo care (KC) is skin-to-skin contact between an infant and parent, where the infant is usually held chest-to-chest in an upright prone position. It is a very simple, beneficial developmental intervention for both baby and parent, as demonstrated in the literature, but many parents and health care professionals are not aware of KC, its benefits, or how to perform it. The purpose of this article is (1) to inform health care professionals about the research literature on KC and its benefits and (2) to develop a list of evidence-based KC guidelines for the use of all infants and their parents. Increased knowledge of and education on KC for healthcare providers should lead to increased, routine use of this beneficial intervention.
authors.affiliation: Banner Children's Hospital, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Banner Desert Medical Center, Mesa, Arizona, USA. lisannp@cox.net
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DiMenna
mesh_terms: D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016730:Program Development; D012107:Research Design; D017751:Safety Management; D014110:Touch