Therapeutic touch: influence on vital signs of newborns.
OBJECTIVE
To compare vital signs before and after the therapeutic touch observed in hospitalized newborns in neonatal intensive care unit.


METHODS
This was a quasi-experimental study performed at a neonatal intensive care unit of a municipal hospital, in the city of São Paulo (SP), Brazil. The sample included 40 newborns submitted to the therapeutic touch after a painful procedure. We evaluated the vital signs, such as heart and respiratory rates, temperature and pain intensity, before and after the therapeutic touch.


RESULTS
The majority of newborns were male (n=28; 70%), pre-term (n=19; 52%) and born from vaginal delivery (n=27; 67%). Respiratory distress was the main reason for hospital admission (n=16; 40%). There was a drop in all vital signs after therapeutic touch, particularly in pain score, which had a considerable reduction in the mean values, from 3.37 (SD=1.31) to 0 (SD=0.0). All differences found were statistically significant by the Wilcoxon test (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results showed that therapeutic touch promotes relaxation of the baby, favoring reduction in vital signs and, consequently in the basal metabolism rate.
Nadia Christina Oliveira
NC
Ramada
Fabiane de Amorim
Fde A
Almeida
Mariana Lucas da Rocha
ML
Cunha
D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain; D010147:Pain Measurement; D019124:Therapeutic Touch; D055986:Vital Signs; D014798:Vital Statistics