Kangaroo Care: the Use of Improved Technology and Methods - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages The term “kangaroo care” or skin to skin care is derived from its similarity to the way marsupial mothers nurture their newly born young. During kangaroo care, mothers hold their diaper-clad infant skin-to-skin, and upright between their breasts. In this position of extrauterine containment, the infant is held in a flexed position and is covered by the parent’s clothing or a blanket (van Zanten 2007). Nursing care of critically ill and low birthweight infants is complex, demands expensive infrastructure and highly skilled staff. Oxygen is important for metabolism and physiological functioning, and ventilation is regularly used in preterm infants whose lungs are immature and unable to work at the required capacity. Infants can receive kangaroo care whilst on ventilation. During the skin-to-skin period, the infant’s oxygen saturation level is increased, its requirement for oxygen declines and the process of respiration gets stabilised (Hunt 2008; Dodd 2002). Ludington-Hoe (2003) conducted kangaroo care with an unreported number of mechanically ventilated infants who weighed less than 600 grams and were less than 26 weeks gestation at birth. The researchers found that neonates who were mechanically ventilated appeared to respond to kangaroo care particularly well. Though no untoward events have been reported in research, the lack of inconclusive evidence is stated by some practitioners to be the reason for not recommending kangaroo care (Dodd 2002). This is supported by Fischer (1998) who states that during KC there were no significant changes in oxygen saturation and consumption. ...Download file to see next pagesRead More