Effect of supine, prone and kangaroo care (KC) Positions on diminishing the pain response in term neonates during venopuncture

Neonates expose to painful procedures even when come to birth healthy. Pain reduction is a definite right for each living creature during medical intervention. It has bee proved by many studies that painful experiences during babyhood, besides the early complications such as tachycardia, tachypnea and increase of body metabolic needs, can intensify individual’s physiologic and behavioral responses to pain in next stages of life. The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of supine, prone and kangaroo care (KC) positions on diminishing the pain response of term neonates during acute pain of venopuncture. In this clinical trial study, 50 healthy neonates between 39 to 40 weeks of gestational age with physiologic icter requiring bilirubin estimation were assigned to receive a venous puncture and assessed for their responses to the pain of venopuncture performed in a standard manner. Blood sampling was performed by an expert nurse in charge of each neonate in three positions including supine, kangaroo care (KC) at a 24-hour interval during 3 days. The place and condition of sampling were equal for all neonates. Pain responses were assessed using DAN scale, then the gathered data were analyzed using SPSS software and statistical tests. According to the obtained results there was no significant differences between pain score in supine and prone positions. Limb movements score in supine position was significantly higher than two other positions (P<0.001) and vocal expression score in KC position was significantly higher than two other positions. In supine position, pain profile score was significantly lower in subjects with higher weight and there was same result in KC position. Based on the results, KC position seems to effectively decrease pain during venopuncture and other painful procedures, but it is suggested to do similar studies to complete the outcome of the present study.