Effect of prone position, pacifier, and smelling breast milk on pain and stress parameters among term neonates undergoing venipuncture: A randomized controlled trail

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to examine the effect of three different methods for reducing pain and stress among term neonates undergoing venipuncture.
METHODS: The research sample comprised 80 term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia who were being treated at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The term neonates were allocated, according to the randomization method, into a smelling breast milk group (n = 20), a pacifier/dummy group (n = 20), a prone position group (n = 20), and a control group (n = 20).
RESULTS: It was determined that there was a statistically significant correlation between the pain and stress score averages of the breast milk, prone position, and pacifier/dummy groups according to all measurements taken before, during, and after the procedure (p < 0.001). It was discovered that there was a difference between the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised form (PIPP-R) and the mean stress scores of the control group and the breast milk, prone position, and pacifier/dummy groups after the procedure (p < 0.001).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In study, it was concluded that the breast milk smell, prone position, and giving a pacifier made of sterile gloves are effective in reducing the pain and stress of newborns during the venipuncture procedure. Non-pharmacological methods such as smelling breast milk, prone position, and giving a pacifier/dummy are recommended to reduce pain and stress among term neonates during interventional procedures.