Integrative Care Therapies and Physiological and Pain-related Outcomes in Hospitalized Infants. Issue 4 (July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hathaway, Elizabeth E.; Luberto, Christina M.; Bogenschutz, Lois H.; Geiss, Sue; Wasson, Rachel S.; Cotton, Sian
• Is Part Of: Global advances in health and medicine. Volume 4:Issue 4(2015)
• Page Start: 32
• Page End: 37
• Publication Date: 2015-07
• Subjects: Integrative medicine -- Periodicals; Public health -- Research -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Integrative medicine; Medicine; Medicine -- Research; Public health; Public health -- Research; Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.7453/gahmj.2015.029
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2164-957X

Abstract

Background: Pain management is a frequent problem in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Few studies examining effects of integrative care therapies on pain-related outcomes in neonates have included physiological outcomes or investigated the use of such therapies in a practice-based setting. Objective: The purpose of this practice-based retrospective study was to examine the associations between integrative care therapies, particularly massage and healing touch, and pain-related outcomes among hospitalized infants. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of a clinical database from a level III NICU regularly delivering integrative care therapies. Paired-samples t-tests were used to examine associations between integrative care therapies and 4 pre-post outcome measures: therapist-rated pain and presentation (ranging from asleep to agitated) and neonates' heart rate and oxygen saturation. Results: Of 186 patients (Mage =68 days), 58% were male and 67% were Caucasian. Sixty-two percent received both massage and healing touch; the remainder received a single therapy. From pre-post therapy, statistically significant changes were observed in infants' heart rate (Mpre =156 vs Mpost =140 per minute; P<.001), oxygen saturation (Mpre =95.0% vs.Mpost =97.4%; P<.001), and therapist-reported pain (Mpre =2.8 vs Mpost =0.2; P<.001) and presentation (Mpre =3.2 vs. Mpost =1.0; P<.001). Conclusion: Observed improvements in pain-related outcomes suggest that massage and healing touch may be useful integrative therapies to consider as pain management options in the NICU.