title: Psychosomatic effects of blanketing in nursing care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Blanketing, which involves covering patients with a blanket in order to maintain their body temperature and privacy and help alleviate the stress that is associated with medical procedures, is a fundamental skill in nursing care. However, the actual therapeutic effects of blanketing have not been adequately investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to clarify the psychosomatic effects of blanketing in nursing care by observing autonomic nervous activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This single-cohort, intra-participant, comparative cross-over study included 30 healthy female adolescents. Two of the 30 participants were excluded from the analysis. After splitting the participants into blanketing and non-blanketing groups, the stress and anxiety that patients undergo during nursing care was simulated and the responses were analyzed by using psychological and physiological indicators. The parametric data were analyzed by using a paired t-test or one-way ANOVA and the non-parametric data were analyzed by using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The significance level was <5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was seen between the two groups in vital signs, salivary alpha-amylase activity, respiratory movement or skin surface temperature. However, the postintervention scores for "Tension-Anxiety" in the Profile of Mood States - Brief Form were significantly lower for the blanketed than the non-blanketed arm, "sense of ease" and "feeling protected" were significantly higher for the blanketed arm, and in the middle intervention segment, the parasympathetic nervous activity and sympathetic nervous activity were significantly higher and lower, respectively, for the blanketed arm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that blanketing is effective in relieving psychological stress and promoting a sense of ease among patients who are receiving nursing care.
authors.affiliation: Ehime Prefectural University of Health Sciences, Ehime, Japan.
authors.forename: Namiji
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
authors.affiliation: Okayama University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukai
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: autonomic nervous system; blanket; privacy; psychological strain